A new form of entertainment that cuts across boundaries and brings people from all walks of life together has arisen in the hectic streets of Dhaka. The arrival of Babuplay, a popular online casino, has piqued the interest of gamblers all over the world. In this essay, we will delve into its complexities and investigate why it has become a magnet for those searching for excitement and financial gain.
Continue reading From Dhaka to the Delta: Navigating Life’s Uncertainties
Tag Archives: india
Modern Art Monday Presents: Raqib Shaw,The Final Submission in Fire on Ice
Photo By Gail
Raqib Shaw (b. 1974) uses the creative process to tell his personal story, raising questions around the construct of identity. The imagined setting of The Final Submission in Fire on Ice (2021), a self-portrait, combines elements of the artist’s London studio, and the landscape of his childhood home in Kashmir, India, from where he was uprooted as a teenager due to political unrest.
Continue reading Modern Art Monday Presents: Raqib Shaw,The Final Submission in Fire on Ice
Bharti Kher’s Ancestor in Doris C. Freedman Plaza
All Photos by Gail Worley
Bharti Kher (b. 1969, London, UK) connects New Delhi and New York with this nearly 18 foot tall bronze Universal Mother figure, entitled Ancestor (2022) which is her most ambitious artwork today. Its source is a miniature statue from the artist’s “intermediaries“ series, assembled by recomposing broken clay figurines. Kher finds these small objects in secondhand markets in India, where she moved in 1992 after being raised and educated in the United Kingdom. Continue reading Bharti Kher’s Ancestor in Doris C. Freedman Plaza
Hand Carved Ivory Chess Set From India
All Photos By Gail
19th century Bengali craftspeople found an export market in Britain for decorative chess sets carved from ivory.
The two sides were sometimes carved to represent opposing armies of local soldiers and Europeans. The example seen here, with relatively simple carving is unusual as signs of wear and repair suggest it was used for playing games rather than as a showpiece for display. Hand-carving has produced variation even between pawns of the same side.
Photographed in the British Galleries at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC.
Help Create the Largest Flower Bouquet of Hope!
Image From The Original 25th Anniversary Present
While Covid Life keeps us physically apart, The Museum of Art and Photography (MAP) in India is working to bring us together — digitally. MAP Founder Abhishek Poddar requests your participation in a collaborative digital art project to create the world’s largest digital flower Bouquet of Hope.
Here’s  a bit of backstory on the inspiration for this engaging project. In honor of his parents 25th Wedding Anniversary back in 1989, Abhishek surprised them with an art installation made up of 25 flowers. Well-known artists from India created a single flower, one for each year of his parents married life together, in the artist’s own unique style; each image reminding them of a fond moment. “At times like these, we hold on to precious memories – of family times, of challenges we managed to overcome, of personal journeys we ventured on” said Abhishek. Flowers are a celebration of hope, love, and courage – something the world needs now more than ever!
Right now, anyone and everyone is invited to join MAP in creating this Bouquet of Hope. Paint, draw or sketch a flower, snap a picture from your garden or balcony, or even create a flower motif from objects or textiles in your home (food, toilet paper, shoes, pillows). The possibilities are endless.
Images can be submitted to, and viewed at www.bouquetofhope.in. I’ve already contributed a few images of Orchids that I took while visiting the NYBG Orchid Show in February. Remember to use #BouquetofHope and tag @MAPBangalore when posting on social media channels. Enjoy!