Painters receiving less response at Book Fair

At the entrance to the Suhrawardy Udyan of the Amar Ekushey Book Fair, any visitor will see small banners of painters. The banner reads, 'Here you can draw photo directly in just 5-10 minutes.' A few painters can be seen sitting on tools on the sidewalk. Those who want to draw their own pictures are sitting still in front of them. Basically, portraits are painted here. They charge a courtesy fee of Tk 500 to 800-1000 taka for a picture. However, the cost of painting from the phone is a little higher. If someone does not have money, they will do their work for 200 taka. They make a living based on these. This time too, 8-10 painters were seen at the entrance to the book fair. This seems to have created a different attraction in the fair.

At the book fair, Views Bangladesh talked to various painters. How are they getting a response, who is interested in drawing pictures, or what is the state of the art of painting? Most of the painters said that they are not getting the same response at the fair as before. There are fewer painting orders than before.

Painter Bishu has been sitting at the entrance of the book fair for 15 years. Stating that he loves painting, Bishu said, "I have been painting since childhood. This is my profession. I like nothing else but painting. Along with the young and old, people of all classes come. However, there are more students. I paint 4-5 pictures every day. However, it would be good to get a little more response."

Stating that the book fair and trade fair are a kind of promotion for our artists, he added, "Many people contact me with their numbers and order paintings. Overall, I enjoy the work."

Painter Manjul Haque Babu passed out from Dhaka Fine Arts in 1980. Babu said, "My roommate was actor Afzal Hossain, he suggested that you paint good pictures, see them at the book fair, sit down." "Your picture will be painted here in 5-10 minutes" was the beginning of that. After a couple of paintings, I got so much response that I couldn't finish it by delivering. Now it has decreased.

Currently, he is a drawing teacher at Savar Girls School. Manjul Haque Babu said that he receives 5-6 orders to paint pictures every day at the book fair, and said that there is a fair response at the trade fair and the book fair. Girls are more interested in the size of the pictures.

He also said that many people have become interested in painting in the last 15-20 years. I want our juniors to sit in. We are getting old.

Manjul Haque Babu also dreams of an art school in Savar.

Young painter Pantho said that people are coming, but I am not getting orders to paint pictures like before. This year is very less compared to other years. I am able to paint three or four a day. It would be better if I could paint one more picture.

Another painter named Naturaj Sajal said that this year is going well like every year. He said that he receives 8-10 orders for pictures every day.