Artist Shaily Shrabonti has depicted women’s struggles and experiences in mythology and urban life in her solo exhibition titled ‘Hawabibi in this City’ under way at Alliance Française de Dhaka in Dhanmondi.
Shaily has displayed 47 artworks, created with watercolour, acrylic, pen on paper, local mat and clay slates, in the 10-day exhibition.
The artworks revolve around a character named Hawabibi, a modern mythological figure representing the struggles of women in a patriarchal society where men treat women as subordinates.
Hawabibi is seen in a burqa in every artwork. She realises the story of the theft of the mythological forbidden fruit aims at trapping women in a cyclical struggle between obedience and agency in the modern era. She speaks for all the women still seeking space, voice and authorship in a world that has rarely spoken for them.
The artwork titled ‘Hawabibi in this City-16’ comprises three paintings created with acrylic on a local mat showing women’s relationship with nature.
In ‘Hawabibi in this City-28’, Shaily shows Hawabibi lives a progressive life but suffers due to the story of the theft of mythical forbidden fruit.
‘Hawabibi in this City-31’ shows an urban Durga with oriental and modern motifs.
‘Hawabibi in this City-11’ shows a group of women posing for a photo looking like lifeless old sculptures.
Shaily Shrabonti studied oriental art at the Dhaka University faculty of fine art.
She participated in many group art exhibitions, workshops and art camps.
‘Hawabibi in this City’ is her first solo exhibition, which began on August 25.
The exhibition will end on September 3.
