Md. Ashraful Alam

Lives and works in Khulna, Bangladesh

Artist statement

My work explores the stark impact of human industrialization on the natural environment. Through the Global Warming series, I capture the ongoing tension between rapid urban expansion and the fragile ecosystems we are displacing. ​Visually, I contrast two distinct styles within the same space. The backgrounds and urban sceneries are painted in muted grey tones with a graphic, almost black comic-book style. Over this flat, industrial backdrop, I place hyper-realistic trees and wildlife. This stylistic separation creates a visual conflict—highlighting how the artificial, mechanical world isolates and chokes out organic life. The presence of vultures serves as a key symbol; these birds sit quietly on barren branches, watching over a landscape that has turned hostile. ​My process plays a crucial role in building the realism of the trees. I first build up the canvas using a layer of texture white paste. Once dried, this creates a subtle relief on the surface. I then apply thin, fluid coats of acrylic paint over the relief, allowing the pigment to settle naturally into the grooves. This technique automatically creates depth and delicate organic detail that would be impossible to achieve with flat brushstrokes alone. ​Through this combination of graphic symbolism and tactile reality, I want to invite viewers to reflect on ecological decay—and to consider what remains when the balance between human ambition and nature is broken.

Artwork