UK based relief agency, Muslim Aid and Belton Molotow, german based aerosol paint manufacturer, are taking Aerosol Arabic's groundbreaking style of graffiti art, to the streets of Bangladesh.
Acclaimed British urban artist, Mohammed Ali (a.k.a Aerosol Arabic) will be visiting some of the poorest parts of Bangladesh to uplift the spirit of those less fortunate, with peace art out of the aerosol can. He will be working with Muslim Aid beneficiaries, orphans and poor urban youth, giving them the opportunity to make their voices heard through engaging in the power of graffiti.
The message is one of peace, and the aim is to mark it across the cities of Dhaka, Sylhet and Chittagong. So alongside the graffiti art workshops, Mohammed will be spray-painting three of his spiritual, urban art murals in well known districts of each city, leaving a message of peace from the people of Bangladesh and Muslim Aid.
The art form known as aerosol art was born on the streets of New York in the late 70's and has always been focused on the English script. Being inspired by this artform, Mohammed then began incorporating the Arabic script and aspects of his Islamic faith within his art, hence his pseudonym "Aerosol Arabic"
Born and raised in Birmingham, Mohammed now wishes to return to his ethnic origin and explore his cultural roots in Bangladesh. He now wishes to experiment with the Bengali script within his work.
Mohammed always felt that art was quite useless in regards to offering a direct aid for human plight and suffering. But now he sees differently. "With projects like this, I can see how art can actually be used as a powerful tool for change and betterment of the wider society, addressing issues like world poverty and conflict."
"As a faith based relief agency, our aim is to bring a positive change to the condition of people's lives all over the world," Says Muslim Aid fundraising officer, Razaul Karim. "Mohammed shares the same objectives, but expresses it through his art. I believe this will be great partnership. We are looking forward to introducing the art of Mohammed Ali to Bangladesh and hope to highlight our work that carries the message of peace, equality and justice."
Aerosol Arabic recently completed a U.S.A tour, alongside the Arts Council England. In the U.S Mohammed created murals across three cities and spoke at universities and colleges all over the country. His work has been highly acclaimed in the media, as being a bridge of understanding between faith communities across the globe.
The tour will launch in the capital city of Dhaka, on the 10th of August, and will last 10 days, ending on the 20th. Further details on specific dates and venues will be announced on: http://www.aerosolarabic.com/bangladeshtourand www.muslimaid.org
