Prinaka- a day sketching in Dhaka

by Rob Fairley

For twenty-seven years, Scottish artist Rob Fairley has harboured a story – one that had come to have a profound effect on both his personal and artistic life. In 1992, during a stopover in Dhaka, en route from Nepal to the UK, he found himself lost and disorientated, unable to find his way. A chance encounter with a young girl, who would become his guide and guardian, led him on an unforgettable adventure amidst the bustling streets of Dhaka; documented at the time by Fairley, through a series of paintings in his sketchbook. Images from the sketchbook were first shared via Facebook back in 2017, along with Fairley’s description of the day and the events which accompanied each painting. The response to the story on social media was overwhelming and so the seeds of publishing the work in print were sewn. Two years on and the idea has finally been realised.

70 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2019

Reviews

[Rupert Wolfe-Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

This would make an ideal gift and if you're canny you could cut out the (brilliant) drawings, frame them and send them out as Christmas presents.

But hopefully you'll sit down and read this wonderful travel book; it's refreshingly short, quick to read and highly satisfying. I love it.

The story is very simple: the author finds himself in Dhaka (Bangladesh) almost by accident and he's wandering around the city, getting lost -- which is the best way to travel -- and getting into the atmosphere.

He's an artist and of course starts sketching people. This attracts attention and some witty exchanges are described, such as the policeman who can't understand why a tourist is in this (poor) part of town.

Then he gets picked up by a charming young girl called Prinaka who speaks some English. She leads him through the slums, directs him to sketch this and that, and eventually takes him home to meet her charming (but blind) Dad. Although they are very poor, the family live with love and dignity and have ambition. The book is infused with a sense of hope.

It's a wonderfully simple story of two lost souls who find each other for a moment, and if you're thinking "This sounds creepy -- old white guy and young Asian girl!" -- stop right there. The story has none of that evil corruption and I know the author would have never have gone down that road; it's a whole different thing -- it's pure innocence and good art.

The backstory is also interesting -- how the author/artist ended up in Bangladesh -- and the book was expensively published, with thick art paper, by a gallery so it's very good value.