“Dagg-Tamasha” by Shishir Bhattacharjee narrates holds a mirror in front of us and shows us our reality. This 2013 is from the art series “Dagg-Tamasha.” He hides behind satirical art and uses it as a tool of activism. He paints the picture of a society deeply indulged in meddling, roguery, and deception. His drawing points to the slow death of democracy and shows us how selfish reasons are controlling us. The greed of power turned us into monsters and we are preying upon each other.
Dag-Tamasha is is his response to a society living with religious bigotry, social disorder, and political discrimination. Shishir Bhattacharjee challenges the socio-political system and attempts to create social awareness through his drawings.
“Dagg-Tamasha” is part of an art series by the same name. This 2013 painting by Shishir Bhattacharjee reveals the satirical depiction of the socio-political environment of his country. He addresses the death of news media and freedom of speech, points out the injustice, and the rise of the autocratic regime in his time. Keeping the painting black and white, he lets his subject shine. His deliberate line drawing and conscious attempt to voice his thoughts bring out stories of a society dying from inside.
Shishir Bhattacharjee painted the picture of a dystopian society that we are currently living in. This is a reflection of our reality served in a surrealistic caricature.
Shishir Bhattacharjee
Shishir Bhattacharjee (born 1960) is a Bangladeshi artist. His paintings, critical of the political establishment but always in a satirical fashion, were first seen in the 1980s. His political cartoons appear regularly in daily newspapers in Bangladesh. During the past couple of years, he has produced paintings that appropriate images from Bengali film posters, altered to serve his social and political messages. Shishir received a Bachelor of Fine Art from the Institute of Fine Art, Dhaka University, Bangladesh, in 1983. He received his Masters in Painting from the Faculty of Fine Arts, the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda in 1987.
Dagg-Tamasha
Artist Art Style
Although one of the most influential artists of his generation, Shishir is best known to a mass audience as a political cartoonist for Bangladeshi largest circulation Bengali-language newspaper Prothom Alo and an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Fine Arts, Dhaka University, Bangladesh. His style as a political caricaturist has now given birth to a new generation of illustrators who follow his style.
He led the influential genre-breaking group of alternative artists “Shomoy” that appeared in the 1980s and was considered the “third wave” of Bangladesh artists. He was a vociferous and early critic of the Ershad military junta, which frequently placed him at odds with the authorities. His scathing critique of the Jamaat e Islami and 1971 war criminals made him a hated figure for the right-wing forces. Shishir is a major influence on politically motivated Bangladeshi artists.
