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{{Short description|Neo-romantic oil paintings on rickshaws}}
{{More citations needed|date=December 2023}}
{{Infobox intangible heritage
| Name = Rickshaw painting of Bangladesh
| Image = Rickshaw back decoration.jpg
| Country = Bangladesh
| ID = 01589
| Region = APA
| Year = 2023
| Session = 18th
| List = Representative
}}
'''Rickshaw painting''' ({{langx|bn|রিকশাচিত্র}}) is a form of [[neo-romanticism]] emerging in [[Bangladesh]]. The art in question consists of [[oil painting]]s on the rear of the canvas roof of [[rickshaw]]s, done by local street artists, who also paint the various landscapes, portraits and personal statements of the driver. Rickshaws and rickshaw paintings of Bangladesh are listed as '[[intangible cultural heritage]]' by UNESCO.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-12-06 |title=Unesco lists rickshaws and rickshaw art as 'intangible heritage' |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/culture/news/unesco-lists-rickshaws-and-rickshaw-art-intangible-heritage-3487581 |access-date=2023-12-06 |work=The Daily Star |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |script-title=bn:ইউনেসকোর বিশ্ব সাংস্কৃতিক ঐতিহ্যের তালিকায় ঢাকার রিকশা ও রিকশাচিত্র |url=https://www.kalerkantho.com/online/national/2023/12/06/1343083 |work=[[Kaler Kantho]] |language=bn |access-date=7 December 2023 |date=December 2023}}</ref>
== History ==
In Bangladesh, rickshaw art dates back to the 1950s, and every conceivable part of the rickshaw is painted. In addition to geometric designs, there are depictions of flowers, birds and even popular actresses. The rickshaw can be decorated to show the driver's religious beliefs and sometimes even a commentary on current social issues.<ref name=":0">RickshawArt.org [http://www.rickshawart.org ''Website of the social entreprise RickshawArt in Bangladesh.''] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170422102750/http://www.rickshawart.org/ |date=2017-04-22 }} Dhaka.</ref> In Bangladesh, rickshaw art is looked down upon by the elite population.<ref name="world">{{cite book |last=Marshall Cavendish Corporation |title=World and Its Peoples: Eastern and Southern Asia |publisher=Marshall Cavendish |year=2007 |pages=479 |isbn=978-0-7614-7631-3 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5ZBaVhmRvCkC&dq=rickshaw+art&pg=PA479 |accessdate=6 March 2010}}</ref>

The three-wheeled pedicab, more commonly known as the [[rickshaw]], has been around since the 1940s. Initially, they were undecorated, but starting in the late 1940s, the faces of movie stars began appearing as decorative motifs on shields at the back of the rickshaws along with a variety of floral paintings. The unique trend of rickshaw art started from [[Rajshahi]] and [[Dhaka]] in Bangladesh and took its own style in each district. For instance, [[Chittagong]], being a more pious city than Dhaka, mostly had floral or scenery art, whereas [[Comilla]] has plain rickshaws with beautiful dark blue or green hoods, on which are sewn an appliqué of a minaret or floral design enshrining the word "Allah".{{citation needed|date=April 2013}}

Artwork on the wheels of the rickshaws is done using very bold, bright and raw colours, like fluorescent green, dark red and so on. The blaze of colours also helps to make them long lasting.

Author Joanna Kirkpatrick states her definition of rickshaw art:
<blockquote>I consider it "peoples' art". It is not necessary to force it into a unitary category as it combines folkloric, movie, political and commercial imagery and techniques. It serves the expression of heart's desires of the man in the street for women, power, wealth, as well as for religious devotion. Rickshaw art also serves prestige and economic functions for the people who make, use and enjoy it.<ref>Joanna Kirkpatrick. [http://www.asianart.com/articles/ricksha/index.html ''Rickshaw Art in Bangladesh.''] Asian Art.</ref></blockquote>

Rickshaw art also reflects the [[economic globalization]] process, which is occurring all over the world today, for instance, those rickshaws with Osama bin Laden's pictures. Rickshaws are not only painted but also decorated with tassels, tinsel and colourful plastic.{{citation needed|date=April 2013}}

Rickshaw art covers the whole rickshaw decoration, from painted backboards and rear side panels to cut-outs appliquéd on to hoods, as well as brass vases replete with plastic or paper flowers. The painted rectangular metal board at the backside, between the two wheels, leaves a trail of passion that the Rickshaw artist puts in his creations.<ref name=":0" />

This living pop art in Bangladesh is primarily created by illiterate rickshaw artists. They learn their techniques by living with Ustat (masters) from boyhood. They do not have copyrights, and in most cases are not attributed by name on their art. In the back of rickshaws, however, there is generally a mark of the maker indicated by a bold steel pin, for example, "Fazlu Mistri". Today, rickshaw art and artists are in a 'struggle of existence'. Third and fourth generations are increasingly less interested in learning the art due to low incomes of two to three dollars a day as well as the lack of recognition.{{citation needed|date=April 2013}}

In 2023, [[UNESCO]] inscribed Dhaka's rickshaws and rickshaw paintings on its list of [[intangible cultural heritage]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=6 December 2023 |title=Rickshaws and Rickshaw painting in Dhaka inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity |url=https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/rickshaws-and-rickshaw-painting-dhaka-inscribed-unesco-representative-list-intangible-cultural |publisher=[[UNESCO]]}}</ref>

==Gallery==

<gallery mode="packed">
[[File:Rickshaws in Rajshahi 01.jpg]]
[[File:Ricksha art.jpg]]
[[File:Nobo Kumar Bhadra's animal]]
[[File:related rickshaw art.jpg]]
[[File:Nobo Kumar Bhadra's Bangladesh Cinema influenced rickshaw art.jpg]]
[[File:Hand-painted rickshaw art 03.jpg]]
</gallery>

==See also==
{{commons category|Rickshaw art}}
* [[Truck art in South Asia]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* Kuntala Lahiri-Dutt and David Williams. (2010). ''Moving Pictures: The Rickshaw Art of Bangladesh.'' {{ISBN|((978-0944142639))}} Ahmedabad: Mapin Books.

[[Category:Visual arts media]]
[[Category:Indian painting]]
[[Category:Pakistani painting]]
[[Category:Arts in India]]
[[Category:Arts in Bangladesh]]
[[Category:Arts in Pakistan]]
[[Category:Bangladeshi painting]]
[[Category:Human-powered vehicles]]
[[Category:Decorated vehicles]]
[[Category:Rickshaws]]
[[Category:Transport culture of India]]
[[Category:Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity]]

Rickshaw painting of Bangladesh - Revision history

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