image source, Courtesy of ARTCON
In different parts of Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, the walls of the mysterious artist painted ‘Hopeki?’ The latest graffiti in the series was spotted in Sikkim, India.
It was painted on a wall at Majhita Nala Bridge on the Gangtok-Rongpo road in Sikkim on the last day of June.
Spray-painted and stenciled on a concrete wall, the graffiti is nearly twenty feet long, with the artist’s signature tag ‘Hopey?’ has
In the graffiti, Subodh is seen lying on a hammock or swinging bed, with long unkempt hair, shoes on.
Both ends of the hammock are tied and hung with barbed wire.
Subodh holds a wire cutter in his right hand, while the other hand hangs out of the hammock. Keep a bucket right below the well.
Residents of Majhita Nala Bridge area on the Gangtok-Rongpo road told BBC Bangla that they have been seeing the graffiti on the wall for the past few days.
The graffiti was painted at a time when tensions are running high along the border between the two countries over the forced return of Bangladeshis from India, allegedly for infiltration.
Just two days ago, India announced the introduction of tourist visas for Bangladeshi tourists after being closed for almost two years.
An organization called Artcon is working on the documentation of the work of the mysterious unknown artist of ‘Hobeki?’
Artcon founder ARK Ripon told the BBC that the idea behind Sikkim’s graffiti and the choice of location were linked to Indo-Bangladesh relations, the katar, the cutting machine and the water of the Teesta river.
Mr. Ripon says, “Rongpo town is widely known as the gateway to Sikkim. It is one of the main points of entry into Sikkim on the way to Gangtok, where travel, arrival, documentation and permits are already part of daily life. This geographical location has transformed graffiti into more than just an image. It has become a border phenomenon.”
image source, Courtesy of ARTCON
Subodh’s message…protest or sarcasm
For the past decade in Bangladesh, ‘Hopeki?’ Subodh’s series of graffiti, drawn by a mysterious artist across the tags, almost always conveys some kind of message.
One of the main features is stenciling, which is the use of ink to shape objects on tin leaves and draw graffiti.
And every painting has a message.
The artist of ‘Hobeki?’, whose name is unknown, has never been seen in public – nor has anyone claimed ownership of the paintings on the walls.
The birth of this series is not known exactly when or on what date.
However, around 2017, Subodh series of graffiti came to people’s attention and discussion. It is said that at that time, the law enforcement forces of the government also tried to know the identity of the artist.
Featured graffiti in the Subodh series include —
‘Subodh you run away, now is not the time’ – in this graffiti painted on the streets of Dhaka’s Agargaon, a young man was seen running with a yellow sun in a cage.
‘Subodh you run away, there is nothing in your luck’ – in this graffiti, Subodh is sitting with a caged yellow sun with his hand on his forehead.
‘Subodh, when will dawn?’ – This graffiti shows a little girl questioning Subodh.
‘Sobodh you run away, now is not the time, people have forgotten to love!’ – In this graffiti, Subodh is walking somewhere with the caged sun, looking back as he goes.
Subodh is now in jail! Guilt rests peacefully in the hearts of people’ – In the graffiti, Subodh is seen standing on the prison’s gallows.
image source, Courtesy of ARTCON
‘Sobodh you run away, don’t forget to come back!’ – In this graffiti, Subodh is seen lifting the caged sun.
‘Subodh tui turni standa’ – This graffiti shows Subodh standing around with the red sun in the cage.
‘This Is My Masterpiece’ This graffiti on a wall in Dhaka after the July 2024 popular coup in Bangladesh shows a young woman clutching a painting of the Bangladeshi flag to her chest.
The latest graffiti painted on the air force wall on the Agargaon-Mahakhali link road in Dhaka shows Subodh kneeling and hugging a child.
A soldier’s helmet on the child’s head, a small flag of Bangladesh in his hand.
A paint spray can and a paint brush hang behind Subodh’s waist belt.
Graffiti painted on Chittagong’s CRB Hill in March this year shows a sculpture-like man sitting on a donkey – the signature tag on the wall is ‘Hobeki?’ has
Hobeki?’s graffiti attracted widespread attention in 2017.
Agargaon, Mohakhali and the old airport walls of Dhaka have seen more subodh graffiti.
Subodh series is a very popular series in Bangladesh. Many artists of Bangladesh and India drew pictures and graffiti inspired by Hobeki?
Bangladeshi singing group Indalo has written a song about ‘Hobeki?’
It is known from a Facebook page called ‘Hobeki Graffiti Fans’, the Subodh series of graffiti is for the right of expression in a democratic state and about various social issues such as bigotry, child abuse, rape.
Many find Hobkey’s work similar to that of famous UK street painter Banksy.
Banksy painted graffiti using stencils, and the name Banksy is also a pseudonym.
His real name is unknown, as is the name of Hobeki’s artist.
image source, Courtesy of ARTCON
