This work began as a figure drawing created in acrylic on paper, originally intended for a poster on environment and climate change. Around the same time, Tareque had access to a newly purchased scanner, which allowed him to digitize the drawing and experiment with Photoshop for the first time. Through this process, he transformed the hand-painted figure into its final digital form—an experience that marked his initial exploration of digital editing. The work was later published on his website netbiz.com, where it quickly gained popularity among Bangladeshi audiences and came to be seen as a symbolic representation of Bangladesh. Although it was not ultimately used in poster campaigns on climate change, the piece reflects an important moment in Tareque’s artistic journey, where traditional painting merged with emerging digital tools to shape his evolving practice.
Najib Tareque
Najib Tareque (b. September 5, 1970, as Abu Najib Mohammed Tareque) is a Bengali artist, printmaker, and writer based in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Widely regarded as a pioneer of new media art in the country, he is one of the first artists to experiment with online platforms as spaces for creative expression.
He co-founded Jolrong, among the earliest online art galleries in South Asia, which helped shape the digital art scene in the region. Since 1987, Tareque has participated in over twenty solo and group exhibitions in Bangladesh and abroad. His practice spans printmaking, painting, and new media, blending traditional forms with digital experimentation, and he continues to be a prominent figure in contemporary Bangladeshi art.
