The humble artist 

Passionate about painting, Prosun Halder is currently studying MFA in Drawing and Painting at the Faculty of Fine Art, University of Dhaka. Prosun’s father, who was an artist himself, was his greatest inspiration growing up. 

Prosun believes that artists in Bangladesh have many ways to create their own opportunities, network with different people and gain exposure. He sees social media as a great platform for the artist community, where everyone can learn from each other. He enjoys experimenting with different mediums of art. “My artworks, whether it be mainstream paintings or illustrations, are my way of expressing myself,” says Prosun. “I discuss relatable and pop cultural topics, representing my surroundings.” 

Prosun also has a YouTube Channel, which he says is not meant for tutorials. It is his way of sharing his art-making process with others and answer any queries that his followers ma.y have. He won the first and third prizes at Transparency International Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Cartoon and Photographs Awards and Exhibition in 2017 and 2018 respectively. He also took part in the 18th Asian Art Biennale. Many of Proshun’s works articulate contemporary or universal stories of women. His paintings are highly narrative, with vibrant and colourful backgrounds. “Many emerging artists may start to feel that their work is not up to the mark, as these days, there is an overwhelming number of artworks that people share online,” says Prosun. “But I take it in a positive way, and try to learn what I can by watching others. When it comes to drawing, I think that practice makes a man perfect.” 

Photo: Sheikh Mehedi Morshed