Words by Ahtaram Shin. Artworks by Enayet Khan.
Enayet Khan's artistic journey began at a tender age when he was just in the fifth grade. Despite lacking proper tools and equipment, he found solace in drawing and painting. He now focuses his artwork on depicting the Rohingya people - their struggles, cultural traditions, historical events, and daily lives.
"Art is a soundless language. It helps me disclose every hidden matter in my life." – Enayet said.
In 2017, the Rohingya people fled to Bangladesh, leaving behind their homeland in Arakan. Enayet Khan, part of the influx into Bangladesh, started painting to document the Rohingya's suffering. This narrative received little coverage from major media outlets at the time. Through his paintings, Khan aimed to depict the experiences of the Rohingya - their difficulties, perseverance, and harsh conditions they faced. His artwork gave voice to stories that may not have been widely told.
"Nobody truly knows the depths of what the Rohingya endured during the 2017 exodus," Enayet explained. "My aim was to express my community's emotions and depict their stories through my art."
After the Rohingya refugee influx into Bangladesh in August 2017, researchers aimed to document the atrocities against the community. However, written accounts could not fully convey the extent of their suffering. The Rohingya often struggled to verbally express the depths of their trauma. In this context, Enayet Khan sought to visually depict the Rohingya's plight through paintings. Enayet Khan's art became a means to give voice to their experiences in a way that transcended the limitations of language.
"As I witnessed it firsthand, I drew numerous paintings to document it and create a visual record," Enayet Khan explains.
Enayet's talent was spotted by the former curator at the Rohingya Cultural Memory Centre and subsequently was recruited as part of the implementation team. Using his art as a tool for mental health support and healing, he later joined Artolution in some of its public art activities in the refugee camp.
In Arakan, the Rohingya had a rich cultural heritage, with their own distinct belongings, agricultural practices, and homes. They were masters of crafting farming tools, weaving intricate materials, and creating beautiful baskets – skills honed through generations of experience. This knowledge was preserved through oral tradition, as they lacked a written history.
"I believe that my art can contribute to visualising and preserving these images, depicting exactly how things were and capturing the essence of their way of life," Enayet Khan said.
"As a refugee artist, I don’t have any platform to showcase my work. I worked with many NGO's and the Rohingya Cultural Memory Centre, drawing and painting many artworks about the Rohingya, and showcase my people culture and history through them." Enayet said.
Initially, Enayet felt demotivated as his efforts to showcase his art seemed futile, making him question the value and importance of his work. However, fortune favored him with several opportunities to present his artwork at international exhibitions. Enayet's art has been featured in significant exhibitions, reflecting both his artistic skill and the narrative of the Rohingya. Notable showcases include the 2021 Oxfam Rohingya Arts Campaign, the 2022 Genocide Survivors in Oslo, and 'We are Rohingya' at the Liberation War Museum in Dhaka. His work 'Rohingya lifestyle in Arakan' was awarded 2nd prize in the 2022 Remembrance Day Art Contest by the Art Garden Rohingya. In 2023, his art gained further exposure at the Dhaka Literary Festival as part of Artolution's 'Renaissance of Rohingya Culture', the Rohingya Centre of Canada’s exhibition "Picturing the Rohingya Genocide: Resistance, Resilience & Remembrance", and at the “Jasbaa: The Art of Rohingya Refugee Resistance” exhibition at the University of Waterloo in Canada. These displays underscore his commitment to using art as a tool for cultural storytelling and social commentary.
"When I joined Rohingyatographer in 2021, I finally had a platform to showcase my artworks as an author," Enayet recalls.
He conducts numerous art workshops in the camp, teaching basic art skills. In 2023, Enayet founded the Rohingya Art Club, a group dedicated to nurturing artistic talents within his community.
"Art not only fosters creativity but also provides mental support for the adolescents in my community," Enayet explains, underscoring the therapeutic power of art.
Now, many of these young Rohingya artists use their skills to narrate different stories to the international community about their history, culture, lives, and crises through their artworks. At the very least, they can express their once voiceless words through drawing, gaining mental well-being and many other benefits in the process.
This story is sponsored by Sahat Zia Hero from his Prince Claus Seeds Award 2023