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In-Town

‘Impressions of Dhaka’ in Richard Crooks’ eyes

Published : Thursday, 30 March, 2017 at 12:00 AM  Count : 335
Nazmun Naher Shishir
Richard Crooks, a British sculptor, participated in 'Artist in Residence', a five-week programme, initiated by Bengal Foundation Visual Arts in February, 2017.  He was the Head of Art at Southborough High School in London and participated in the project 'Rivers of the World' with British Council from 2012 to 2015. He has participated as 'Artist in Residence' in Kathmandu Contemporary Art Centre in 2012 and curated 'Drawing-Technique and Purpose', in collaboration with David Simon Gallery in Bath, the UK. He had been awarded for his contribution in sculpture by Gavin Turk at Bath Society of Artists at the Victoria Gallery, in 2016.

'I have travelled through Dhaka, Khulna, Bagerhat and surrounding areas to experience the sights, sounds, tastes, smells and textures of Bangladeshi Architectural monuments. This journey, often on his bicycle ' enabled me to discover the regular buildings the new flyovers and old pieces of heritage architecture," quotes Crooks.
He shares about his first visit to Bangladesh in 2012, "I first came to Sylhet being a part of the British Council's 'Rivers of the World' project. After working with British Council in art workshops and trainings my desire to work in Bangladesh increased."
While he was on a world trip that included travelling through South Asia in 1991 he was amazed at the sculpture and varieties of architectural landscape around. Eventually, this passion brought him back to Bangladesh. His insight of Bengali architectural practice led him to blend the Bangladeshi cultural, social and historical evolution in his works of this residency programme. 
Crooks has been making sequences of sculptures which will be part of his solo exhibition entitled 'Transformations' in September, 2017 at the Pound Arts Centre in Corsham, Wiltshire, an Arts Council of England funded gallery.
To reflect the harmonic essence of Dhaka's dichotomy of peace and chaos in his works, he has roamed around the city on his bicycle. By wandering underneath the flyovers of Dhaka City he got the inspiration of making horizontal structures.
Many dwellers are residing very near to the flyovers which made Crooks wonder, these flyovers are peeping into the private life of this modernized city. "Social and material life of urbanites and their struggle reflected amidst the chaos of this megacity," he adds. 
He plans to give an artistic feature of these Dhaka-experiences and commences to create sculpture by using clay, cement and plaster ceramic. Afterwards, he articulates his recent sculptures by getting inspired from architectural sites of Dhaka.
With the collaboration of a renowned Dhaka artist, Ashim Halder Sagor, Crooks has conducted a workshop for the students of Department of Sculpture, University of Dhaka, titled 'Creative Interventions'. Using ceramic and sculpture, students have explored and identified their own ideas in the workshop. "My experience with students here in Dhaka was wonderful. Each of them has different talents. Teachers just need to open the perceptive doors in front of them and they would shape up the open-ended theme to a masterpiece," he expresses.
Previously, he used to be in teaching profession which he left to pursue his passion of sculpture and curatorial activities. In his words, "My job was very rewarding at times but at a certain point I felt it was time to get off and re-focus on my passion."
It is really challenging to shift one's profession but Crooks is confident enough as he has space: physical, emotional and cognitive, to focus on his dream. "A little courage at the right time can go a long way," concludes Crooks.


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Editor : Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury
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