Lakeside Graffiti: A great view no matter where you look

In honour of FIFA's world trophy tour 2022, the art faculties of Jahangirnagar and Dhaka University banded together to paint murals all around the outer perimeter of BWDB (Bangladesh Water Development Board) which stands lakeside in Banani.

Spanning themes of unity, sportsmanship, camaraderie and Coca-Cola, who are sponsoring this year's tour, the 'Goli Graffiti' event was commissioned via some of the most committed charukola students our city has to offer. Every inch of the outer walls that is visible to the pedestrians has been given a massive makeover. Now if you go for a stroll along the lake, you get a great view no matter which way you turn your head. The entire collective of artists, a soft-spoken and shy bunch, were paying rapt attention to their work which was seamlessly divided between 15 people.

The group effort was directed by 23-year-old lead artist Shanto Ahamed of Jahangirnagar. In between drawing perfect freehand circles with one hand and holding an auxiliary brush and smartphone for reference in the other, he very nonchalantly explained that they were commissioned on the 30th of June and given roughly a week to outline, arrange logistics and execute their vision. This is clearly not an easy undertaking, the BWDB compound is one of the largest plots of land in Banani and the June sun beats down on people like no other. 

"It will be done by the end of today," said Shanto. He had just finished colouring an entire man during our brief exchange.

With only one day over the deadline, every inch of the outer walls was drenched in the creativity of the Charukala collective, replete with unique pieces and very little repetition in terms of visuals. A couple of themes, slogans and motifs catch the eye more than once but they do not engender any sense of visual repetition, some elements are remixed and overall lends a solid sense of thematic cohesion all along the perimeter. 

It was a marvel to watch the artists at their craft in the 3 o' clock heat. Painters always get an undeserved rap for being the solitary introvert types, but that thought wouldn't occur to you if you saw the paint splattered men and women bantering and flicking their paint dripping tools at each other's feet. 

Many a time an artist would stop progress on their piece to come and to help out a fellow brush bearer. It was like every artist was intimately familiar with every element and at the very least excelled in a sub-discipline of drawing. They even memorialised themselves in a 'biopicture' if you will, as a group of football fans celebrating the sport at a watching party.

Football is the great uniter (or divider) of the world. This sport holds the most fervent space in a lot of people's hearts. The trophy world tour is akin to the torch passing ceremonies of the Olympics (except people care about it way more). The artistic murals capture the communal spirit of football, making it a worthy tribute to the trophy world tour of 2022.