Plat-forms Gallery showcases new exhibition by Kuntal Barai

A new exhibition by contemporary artist Kuntal Barai has concluded at Plat-forms Gallery.

“Anatomy of Transit” explored the rhythms, tensions, and human experiences shaped by movement in Dhaka through painting, drawing, and mixed media that viewed the city as a living organism, Plat-forms said in a press release.

“Roads become arteries, intersections resemble vital organs, and vehicles become symbols of an urban body that is constantly moving yet frequently under pressure. His works bring together fragments of traffic, architecture, roads, vehicles, and human figures to reflect the density and complexity of contemporary urban life,” the statement said.

Instead of simply documenting city life, Barai explored the psychological experience of living in such a rapidly changing metropolis, using movement as a metaphor for “aspiration, uncertainty, displacement, routine, and the constant negotiation between individual lives and collective urban existence”.

Rayana Hossain, founder and managing director of Plat-forms, said: “Dhaka is a city that never truly stands still. Kuntal’s work allows us to look beyond traffic and infrastructure and recognise the human stories, emotions, and experiences embedded within the movement of our city.”

Sultan M Mineuddin, head of business at Plat-forms Gallery, said: “’Anatomy of Transit’ transforms familiar elements of Dhaka into a visual language of movement. Roads, vehicles, and intersections become metaphors for how we navigate the city and our own lives.”

The exhibition invited viewers to reconsider their everyday journeys, which are often taken for granted.

“A road becomes more than a road, a traffic signal becomes a moment of pause, and an intersection becomes a meeting point for countless individual narratives,” the press release said.

The exhibition was held at the Plat-forms Gallery in Gulshan from Aug 15 to Sept 5.