Shathy Bano

I am a Bengali British female visual fine artist with an extensive background in social work and therapeutic community art. I am passionate about enabling access to art and creating connections and community recognising the empowering and healing elements it provides.

My family migrated during the civil war between Bangladesh and Pakistan in 1971 when I was a child. My art to date draws on my intersectional life experiences to explore the fluid nature of cultural identity, transformation, and loss through the generations and the evolving, yet transitory, notion of home and sense of identity and place. This has been represented through mixed media art using a narrative approach and my interest in expressionist and abstract art. The ability to create visual art from narrative through facilitation, to empower and enhance confidence and to experiment and explore materials and processes is an important focus of my practice. The interactive process is more important than the output or outcome.

As for many second and third generation British Asians, the crossover between western and eastern influences is central to my life experience. And, in many ways, it is the exploration of this interchange that defines my work, an encounter characterized by fluidity and blending rather than fixed adherence to either western or eastern artistic tradition. Focussing on cultural imagery defining both my heritage and the re-creation of my identity through western cultural influence. I use a variety of mediums however textile art is my main area of specialism and hand stitched and painted calico using traditional and contemporary techniques.

My artwork draws on an in-depth material experimentation on these themes of identity, connection and belonging, as well as and arts-based participatory research with people of dual heritage. The stimulus, engagement and interest through this process allows for greater insight for both myself and participants.

Community Arts facilitation

Over the past five years, I have been involved in facilitating mixed media sessions for groups in Norfolk. These have involved small group multi media art sessions promoting well being. I have also facilitated library drop in sessions for the past three years as part of Refugee Week and also for the People from Abroad Team for the refugee families they work with.
The sessions have provided opportunity to access creative resources and connect with others and network. The interest and engagement developed as the sessions progressed.

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