Tag Archive for: women

থ্রেড – THREADS – The Bangla Version is online FREE until April 20

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Posted by Cathy and Len

In this time of social distancing and stay-at-home orders, watch an inspiring film.  The Bangla-dubbed version of THREADS is now available online for free for two weeks, until April 20.

You can see THREADS on Vimeo.com at this link.

সুরাইয়া রহমান ভারত বিভাগের পর তার পরিবার, শিল্পকর্ম, এবং প্রিয় কলকাতা থেকে বিচ্ছিন্ন হয়ে বাংলাদেশে গরিব মায়েদের গল্প বলার নকশা সেলাই শেখানোর মাঝে নতুন জীবন খুঁজে পান.

শিল্পের শক্তি আর সারা বিশ্বের নারী ও মেয়েদের ক্ষমতায়নের অনুপ্রেরণাদায়ক উদাহরণ, থ্রেডস আমাদেরকে একজন শিল্পী রিদয়ে ঘনিষ্ট এক যাত্রায় নিয়ে যায়, আর মর্যাদা ও স্বাধীনতার এক অগতানুগতিক পন্থার জয়গান করে.

Torn from her family, her paintings, and her beloved Calcutta after the partition of India, artist Surayia Rahman finds a new life in Bangladesh teaching impoverished mothers to embroider her story-telling designs.

An inspirational example of the power of art and the impact of empowering women and girls around the world, THREADS takes us on an intimate journey into the heart of an artist and celebrates an unconventional path to dignity and independence.

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The original version of THREADS, in English and Bangla with English subtitles, is available for rent on Vimeo On Demand at this link.

Many thanks to Tanveer Alam Shawjeeb and Dina Hossain for their work on the dubbed version, and to the Cosmos Foundation, the Mary Redman Foundation and many others for their support of this part of the THREADS project.

 

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Latest newsletter

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Posted by:  Len

Here is a link to our latest film newsletter.  We have made a lot of progress, but there is still more to do so that Threads: the Art and Life of Surayia Rahman can be launched to the world in 2013.  With your help we will make it!

 

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Woman’s Work

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I received good news that Farah Ghuznavi – with whom I worked at the United Nations Development Programme in Bangladesh – has just released a short story in Woman’s Work, a diverse collection of short stories by forty women writers that promises to be an interesting read.
Congratulations Farah!

Early in my time in Bangladesh, Farah introduced me to her mother, Ruby, from whom I have learned so much about textiles, natural dyes and craft.   Ruby and her team at Aranya Crafts have worked steadily to preserve and promote the rich cultural and artistic heritage of the region and, in the process, have touched the lives of thousands of people.  During our recent film shoot in Dhaka, we interviewed Ruby about nakshi kantha embroidery and Surayia’s role in its evolution.

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US Embassy Dhaka helps preserve cultural heritage

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Anil Advani, who has been helping us so much in photographing Surayia’s work in Bangladesh, recently joined Surayia and others at the US Embassy in Dhaka to document the two nakshi kantha tapestries that Surayia completed about twenty years ago for the US Embassy building in Bangladesh which opened in 1989.

One of these tapestries is a “one of a kind” piece, designed by Surayia after she had witnessed the cutting of the ribbon at the Embassy inauguration ceremony.

The other is a series of 9 panels based on designs of architect Louis Sullivan.  Surayia recollects that the designs were sent to her as small photocopies.  She chose the threads and supervised “her girls” to embroider them for the Embassy opening.

Many thanks to the US Embassy for preserving these special kantha tapestries!

(The images are clickable for larger views)

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A tribute to mothers around the world

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Happy Mother’s Day!

Nakshi Kantha tapestry inspired by the poetry of Rabindranath Tagore:
“When I bring you coloured toys, my child, I understand why there is such a play of colours on clouds, on water, and why flowers are painted in tints – when I give coloured toys to you, my child.”

Photographs used with the kind permission of Surayia’s friend in Italy.
Click the pictures for a large view.

Surayia Rahman, a self-taught artist in Bangladesh, painted and designed hundreds of tapestries that are now appreciated around the world.  She is a mother herself, and also nurtured hundreds of young women in Bangladesh as she guided them to produce incredible embroidered tapestries.  Though these women were very poor, their talents and new skills helped them to feed their families, send their children to school and university, rent a home or own a piece of land.

  • For information on the documentary film in progress about Surayia’s art and life: KanthaThreads
  • For more information on the works of Rabindranath Tagore, see Crescent Moon: When and Why and Child-Poems
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