FAWAZ ROB

Artist Statement and Portfolio

2024
 ARTIST STATEMENT

“Doing printmaking is not an easy venture anywhere in the world. It requires a lot of materials and
chemical process to produce a plate to print. In Bangladesh, the challenge is a bit higher. Materials are
not readily available, studios are scarce, and understanding of ‘printmaking’ among the general public is
limited. But because it is hard, there is also a wonderful sense of adventure behind it. The printmakers all
over the world are mad. Mad to create; mad to take up challenges, mad to experiment. I consider myself
mad and blessed at the same time to be part of this printmaking fraternity. In my art, I try to show the
‘unseen’. The things that surround us, but we never seem to notice. Every story has been told before,
every subject has been documented by artists. Can we really show something new? Can we really tell a
new story? Yes, we can. For example, in many of my artworks, like a later-day Piranesi, I used
printmaking to tell the story of Bangladeshi architecture. Using my art as a weapon of political activism, I
am trying to tell the architectural stories of Gaza. The heritage is getting eradicated by the senseless
bombing. As an artist, I feel it is my responsibility to show the truth to the world through my art.

I taught architecture at North South University for ten years. Besides teaching them the intricate failure of
modern architecture, I taught hundreds of students the art of printmaking. It would opens up a window of
their mind that they never knew existed. Through fear, inhibition, and fatigue they would go through the
tedious process. However, when they finally produced their first print, their eyes would lit up. That light
keeps me going. I am not here to be famous or to have a million followers. My art reflects the everyday
life in Bangladesh. I am here to leave a body of work that can be enjoyed by generations to come.”

NIGHT TRAIN. Etching & Aquatint. Size: 225mm x 210mm.(Displayed in printmaking exhibition in Zadar, Croatia.)
BIOGRAPHY OF THE ARTIST

Fawaz Rob studied in Chittagong (Bangladesh), San Francisco (USA)

and Disegno Academia di Firenze(Italy). He was an assistant professor of
architecture at North South University. Now he is a full time artist,
persuing intaglio printmaking. He has won multiple awards for his
architectural design and his printmaking art. His art has been exhibited in
Paris, Istanbul, Zagreb, New Delhi, London, Kathmandu and Dhaka.
During his career as a professor of architecture, he relentlessly instilled
the value of art among architecture students and taught printmaking to
more than a thousand students. His exhibition “Dhaka, I love you” was
celebrated by French art critics and was featured in ‘Le Parisian’. His
seminal work ‘Long Walk home’ brought him the international award.

Fawaz Rob lives between Paris and Dhaka with his wife and daughter.

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS:

• Solo Exhibition, OPEN STREET THAMEL, Kathmandu, 2024

• Guanlan Printmaking Biennale, Guanlan, China 2023
• Kibria Chaapchitro Mela, Group exhibition of printmakers, Dhaka. 2017,2018,2019,2021
• PHNOM PENH CONTEMPORARY ART FAIR, First prize winner, 2021
• Solo Exhibition, EXOTIC PRINTS, Arheološki muzej, Zadar, Croatia, 2020
• Solo Exhibition, REPORTS FROM BANGLADESH, Prague, Czechia, 2020
• Printmaking Biennale, Engravist, Istanbul, Turkey 2019
• International Printmakers Congregation, Athens, Greece 2019
• Qijiang International Print Festival, China 2018
• Solo Exhibition, DHAKA, I LOVE YOU.Gallery in Montmarte, Paris, France 2018
• Bangladesh Nepal group exhibition, Patan Museum, Katmandu, Nepal 2017
• Printmaking group exhibition, Shafiuddin studio, Dhaka 2016,2017,2018,2019

ART RESIDENCIES:

Printmaking art residencies

1. Atelier Lacourière et Frélaut, PARIS
2. TORBEN BO HALBIRK'S STUDIO, PARIS
3. Bottega del Tintoretto, VENICE
4. Printa studio, BUDAPEST
5. Grafički Zavod Hrvatske, ZAGREB

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

To see more recent printmaking art of Fawaz Rob and to get the latest news, please visit:
www.FawazRobPrint.com
FROM THE PRESS
REVIEW BY A FRENCH ART CRITIC:

“FAWAZ ROB’s art is not pretentious, overtly abstract

or ‘uber political’ to attract the attention of art critics.
Rather his images are universal. He observes and
captures the lucid life around us that is usually lost in the
chaos of banality. His art can captivate us all; from a
staunch art critic to a five-year-old. Artists like these are
rare these days. Fawaz Rob practices printmaking the
same way Japanese ukiyo-e craftsmen did for centuries:
going through classical training for years and spending
long hours in a studio to transform a simple copper plate
into a magical scene. I have a suspicion that Fawaz Rob
is not here to be ‘famous’. He is here to leave a body of
work that will be enjoyed for generations to come.

An artist’s life is a lonely life. He sees the world through

his own keyhole and tries to tell a story to an audience he
would probably never meet. FAWAZ ROB’s intaglio
prints are the result of incalculable passion and years of
craftsmanship. The art of printmaking is not for faint-
hearted. It requires unusual patience and hundreds of
hours of mistakes, accidents, and frustrating results. But after long hardship when a breathtaking ‘Print’
arrives, all the sufferings get justified. I was deeply moved to learn that he is self-taught and never went to
an art school. Hailing from Bangladesh, educated in the USA and Europe, Fawaz Rob composes
dreamlike serenity in his art. In a world full of overbearing colors and screaming media, these black and
white prints direct our eyes to the subtle beauty of life.

It is recommended that these black and white prints are enjoyed with a Jazz album playing in the
background, preferably ‘Saxophone Colossus’ by Sonny Rollins or ‘Kind of Blue’ by Miles Davies. It is
also recommended that these prints are enjoyed very late at night, alone in a dark room, when the world
quiets down and a sense of nothingness takes over. “

— François Jonquet, Paris, 2018

(Translated from French by Isabelle Durand)

 PARIS EXHIBITION:
Fawaz Rob’s solo exhibition ‘Dhaka I Love
You’ in Paris
From the Exhibition brochure:
Fawaz Rob’s art explores daily life in Dhaka
city. The Gallery of Montmartre, in Paris, has
organized the solo exhibition of Bangladeshi
artist Fawaz Rob titled, "Dhaka, I Love You", in
France. According to a press release announced
on Tuesday, the exhibition was featured in
French Newspaper "La Parisien". Fawaz Rob is
a globally-celebrated artist even though his
background is in architecture and design. His
work has been displayed in: Nepal, India, Italy,
Croatia, and France. He accumulated his urban
experiences and created an otherworldly
scenario of Dhaka city. Although Bangladesh
has a share of negative exposure in the media
world, Fawaz has tried to change the perspective
of the world through his art. In protest of the
recent declaration that Dhaka is the second-least
livable city, Fawaz Rob explored the life and
architecture of the city through his printmaking.
His art explores: construction, traffic, rickshaws,
crows, and other elements of daily life in Dhaka
city.
The backgrounds of most of his artwork feature
charming forms, sharp contrasts and brilliant
depth. For the ongoing show, the artist is
exhibiting around 30 etchings and aquatints on
handmade Bangladeshi paper. Fawaz Rob said,
“There are many things to be proud of about
Dhaka city. It is not only the architecture of old
Dhaka, but the harmony in which twenty million
people of different religion and social classes
coexist. I feel when one quantifies a city through
a statistical medium, much of the story gets lost.
"We tend to focus largely on traffic jams.
However, this four-hundred-year-old city has
many secrets hidden in her alleys. Mughals,
British, French, and even Armenians have left
architectural marks in the city." Dhaka is also
home to hundreds of mosques, temples, and
churches. It has one of the greatest feats of
architecture of the twentieth century—the
national parliament building by Louis Kahn.
Besides architecture, there are millions of stories
to be told about the lives of people living in
Dhaka city. Most French people are not familiar
with Dhaka's life and architecture. This
exhibition is an opportunity for them to glimpse
this undiscovered city. The French have been
surprised to learn that Farashganj (French
village) is named after the French. A few
hundred years ago, thousands of French spice
traders lived in Dhaka, until the British arrived,
and spice trading took a different route. There
are still many buildings that bear the
architectural motifs of French Gothic style.
Fawaz Rob obtained his undergraduate degree in
San Francisco, USA and master’s degree from
Florence, Italy. He has worked in: Los Angeles,
San Francisco, Barcelona, Rome, and Berlin.
Now he has settled in Dhaka as an assistant
professor at the Department of Architecture in
North South University, Dhaka.
His architectural etchings and aquatints are set to
represent Dhaka in a positive light to the rest of
the world.
PUBLICATIONS IN
INTERNATIONAL JOURNALS

The following article by Fawaz Rob was published in

THE CALIFORNIA JOURNAL OF PRINTMAKERS

(This journal is a publication of the prestigious California Society of Printmakers (CSP). CSP is the
oldest continuously operating association of printmakers and friends of printmakers in the United States.
CSP is a nonprofit arts organization with an international membership of print artists and supporters of
the art of fine printmaking. CSP provides professional development opportunities for printmakers, and
educates artists and the public about printmaking. New members are admitted by portfolio review.
Friends and supporters of printmaking are admitted by fee. CSP is based in the San Francisco Bay
Area.)
Why do I use ‘Black and White’?
Fawaz Rob
I use ‘Black and White’ in my art because it tends to
slow things down. When one avoids the
overwhelming cacophony of color, the eyes
concentrate more on the composition. The various
shades of grey make art subtle and the viewer
contemplates shapes and lines. The art becomes a
little bit less obvious and the story becomes
unpronounced. Instead of getting pounded by explicit
colors, ‘Black and White’ art tends to stop the rush
and anticipates the audience to imagine. The ‘noir et
blanc’ method is also forgiving to the artists and
doesn’t require them to be precise. Because the
audience instinctively knows that it is not the
subjective reality of our colorful world, but a derived
notion of it. I use ‘Black and White’ in my art
because it narrates our fables with patience.
Before we dive into the narrative of ‘Black and
White’ art, it might be prudent to understand our
association with color. It is simply a miracle that our
species has evolved to discern millions of shades of
color. There is a very famous finding by scientists:
The human species can distinguish millions of shades
of green. For the early humans, danger lurked in the
forest and Homo sapiens evolved to grow a sharp
sense of vision to distinguish various shades of
leaves. Why our species evolved to enjoy so many
colors is not completely known to us, but what is
known is that color can have an impact in our
emotions, mood, perception, and even hunger. Many
restaurants choose a combination of yellow and red
as their theme because multiple researches have
shown that the color yellow invigorates hunger.
Architects and designers constantly use color to
create ambiance. Color is a powerful tool for any
artist. Blue paintings tend to soothe our senses, while
a strong red theme evokes passion. If done properly,
an artist can use the correct color to his advantage to
evoke the desired emotions.
So why stray away from colors and practice in ‘Black
and White’? Actually, for most artists, the choice is
not mutually exclusive. It is just a matter of
preference. One is not better than the other. For me,
the overuse of color doesn’t help us to tell a story
anymore, it ends up overwhelming the story. A
fifteenth-century Florentine would be mesmerized to
witness Da Vinci’s paintings because the artist
managed to magically capture nature’s beautiful
colors into a human-made canvas. It was like stealing
the hues of the Gods and imprisoning them inside a
mortal world. The soft colors of the oil painting
moved people. Colors invigorated one’s
consciousness. Fast forward a few hundred years to
the present day and colors have become a nuisance to
tell a story. We are constantly bombarded with a
dissonance of colors in every single media. Everyone
wants to produce the most vivid colors. The colors of
our screens have aggressively surpassed the colors of
nature. It has lost the old charm to attract us into an
unknown world of tales. The uses of colors have
become too reckless and too busy nowadays. It has
become quite impossible to unclutter our vision and
notice anything deeply.
When we say “‘Black and White’”, we are actually
not using the term correctly and it reduces the
narrative into a theme of only dualistic choice. The
perception is that the artist is deliberately restricting
himself from millions of colors and reducing himself
to a binary palette. We have to adhere to the cliché of
idioms: ‘Nothing is ‘Black and White’’. When I work
with black ink in my intaglio prints, especially
aquatint, I can make millions of shades of grey from
that one black ink. I am very much aware that I don’t
have the luxury of color, but I am not limited in
anyways to convey my stories. I have an arsenal of
shades and using the contrast of those shades, many
tonal variations can be generated. An image of dark
contrast would convey a sharp emotion, while a
mélange of sfumato, where shades blend without any
strong lines would convey a sense of soothing. The
possibilities are endless in the shades of ‘‘Black and
White’’.

If we say “‘Black and White’” in the purest sense of

binary contrast, even then there is a case to be made.
Consider, for instance, the color black. In its darkest
incarnation, it can symbolize despair, emptiness, and
the void. Yet, it is also the color of elegance,
sophistication, and power. In contrast, white
embodies purity and innocence but can also represent
emptiness and sterility. In a pure ‘Black and White’
composition, these dichotomous meanings coexist, the limitations of fixed symbolism and encourages a
engaging in a dynamic dance of interpretation. The multiplicity of readings. In the unforgiving realm of
same image that may evoke a sense of darkness to color, there is often little room for ambiguity. Hues
one viewer could be perceived as an emblem of demand immediate emotional responses, their
purity by another. connotations firmly rooted in cultural and
psychological associations. ‘Black and White’,
It is this rich ambiguity of Yin and Yang that grants however, possess a malleability that allows for the
the artist's work an enduring appeal, as it transcends fluidity of interpretation.
The sophistication is in simplicity. ‘Black and White’
has a sense of ease. It possesses the unique ability to
strip away the distractions of color and to isolate the
essentials. The persuasion is to be delicate, to be
polite, and to slow the tempo of art itself. In the
hands of a skilled practitioner, this minimalism can
create a profound impact. When tones and shadow
become the sole protagonists in a visual
drama...every line, every contour and every texture
assumes a heightened significance. Nothing of
significance escapes the unsuspecting eye, for the
absence of color forces the viewer to confront the
beauty of form and composition.

In the age of short attention spans and the relentless

bombardment of sensory stimuli, the act of slowing
down becomes a profound act of defiance. To pause,
to contemplate, to engage in the process of
imagination, unburdened by the immediate clamor of
the world—these are endeavors of immeasurable
value. The ‘‘Black and White’’ artist implores their
audience to stop, to seize a moment, to engage with
their work on a level that transcends the superficial.
In a world where everything is aggressive, being
subtle is audacity. In a world where everything is Artist Information:
overtly sexualized and overtly colorful, ‘Black and Fawaz Rob studied at San Francisco State University and received
his master’s degree from Disegno Academia di Firenze (Italy). He is
White’ is revolutionary.
a self-taught intaglio printmaker, whose art has been exhibited in
Paris, Istanbul, Zagreb, Venice, New Delhi, London, Kathmandu
And that is why I use ‘Black and White’ in my art.
and Dhaka. He is a pioneer of Architectural etching and taught
various techniques of printmaking to thousands of students. His
exhibition in Paris was featured in ‘Le Parisian’.

Fawaz Rob is the founder of ‘ALEF Printmakers’, an organization

that actively teaches printmaking and assists underprivileged
students and printmakers to use studios for free. ALEF also
publishes yearly printmaking journal and organizes exhibition. All
of Fawaz Rob’s etching and aquatint prints are done in black and
white exclusively.

www.FawazRobPrint.com
instagram.com/fawaz_rob
fawazrob@gmail.com

Image Documentation:
1. NIGHT TRAIN, Etching & Aquatint, 8” x 11” , 2019
2. THE LONG WALK HOME, Etching , 8” x 11”, 2020
3. OLD MAN RIVER, Etching & Aquatint, 8” x 11”, 2021.
4. LAZY BOATS, Etching, 8” x 11”, 2021
5. UNDER CONSTRUCTION, Aquatint, 10” x10”, ”2021
6. MACHINES MAKING MACHINES, Aquatint, 8” x 11”, 2020.
 SELECTED WORKS

OF

FAWAZ ROB
Title: THE CITY IN TRANSITION
Medium: Etching on copper plate.
Printed using sepia Charbonnel intaglio ink
on 300gsm manila paper from Paris.
Size: 300mm x 200mm

(This art was displayed in Qijiang International Print Festival)

Title: LONELY PEOPLE
Medium: Etching on copper plate.
Print: Sepia JoopStoop ink on 300gsm eggshell Parisian Paper.
Size: 280mm x 210mm

(This art was displayed during solo exhibition in Zagreb, Croatia)

Title: MAJESTIC CROW
Medium: Linocut on soft linoleum
Print: Bone black intaglio ink on 300gsm eggshell paper from Paris.
Size: 350mm x 300mm

(This piece has been displayed in exhibition in Athens)

 Title: LONG WALK HOME
Medium: Etching on copper plate.
Print: Sepia JoopStoop ink on 300gsm eggshell Parisian Paper.
Size: 280mm x 210mm

(This art won an international award)

"More than a million Rohingya Muslims have fled Burma. Their homes destroyed, family members
killed, crops burned. As the UN moves at a glacial pace, and China keeps vetoing any resolution to
hold the Burmese military to justice, Rohingyas suffer in refugee camps. Despite many challenges,
Bangladesh has been a great host. But the apathy of the international community is unsustainable. It
is baffling to see good, honest, educated people dehumanizing Muslims. Every day people rejecting
or fearing refugees when they are the ones suffering the most. The sad truth is these everyday
people are victims of cleverly controlled information. The people in the power successfully use social
media to advance their agenda. Facebook, the propaganda machine of industrial-scale is sold to
the highest bidder. The magnanimity of digital crime will one day be studied in universities. But it
doesn't matter to these refugees. They are ignored by all.Most people just want to go home.
Rohingyas are just walking back home. They walk to remember a home they can no longer go back
to. They walk to find a home that they don't know. Long walk home."
Title: DHAKA TEA
Medium: Etching on copper plate.
Print: Bone black EV4R ink on 300gsm paper from Paris.
Size: 280mm x 210mm

(This piece has been displayed in Paris and London)

Title: UNFINISHED THOUGHTS
Medium: Etching & Aquatint on copper plate.
Print: Bone black EV4R ink on 300gsm Parisian Paper.
Size: 280mm x 210mm

(This particular print has been displayed in Istanbul)

Title: OLD MAN RIVER
Medium: Etching on copper plate.
Print: Sepia Charbonnel ink on 300gsm Manila Parisian paper.
Size: 280mm x 210mm

(This piece was displayed in New Delhi)

Title: MACHINES MAKING MACHINES
Medium: Etching & Aquatint on copper plate.
Print: Bone black Charbonnel ink on 300gsm paper from Paris.
Size: 290mm x 200mm

(This particular print has been displayed in Oslo, Norway)

Title: NIGHT FISHING
Medium: Etching & Aquatint on copper plate.
Print: Bone black Charbonnel ink on 300gsm paper from Paris.
Size: 280mm x 210mm

(This particular print has been displayed in Cox Bazaar)

Title: LONELY BOATS
Medium: Etching & Aquatint on copper plate.
Print: Bone black Charbonnel ink on 300gsm paper from Paris.
Size: 280mm x 210mm
Title: VALETTA BY MOONLIGHT
Medium: Etching & Aquatint on copper plate.
Size: 280mm x 210mm

(Portfolio entry for Malta Biennale 2024)

Title: ANGRY COW
Medium: Etching & Aquatint on copper plate.
Size: 210mm x 210mm
Title: FORGOTTEN ALLEY
Medium: Etching & Aquatint on copper plate.
Size: 210mm x 210mm
Title: MANZIL AT NIGHT
Medium: Etching & Aquatint on copper plate.
Size: 280mm x 210mm

(This is part of the ‘Dhaka I love you’ series, commemorating the heritage buildings of old Dhaka to
preserve our culture)
Title: DHAKA UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Medium: Etching & Aquatint on copper plate.
Size: 210mm x 210mm

(This is part of the ‘Dhaka I love you’ series, commemorating the everyday life of Dhaka to preserve our
culture)
Title: THE GRAND OMARI MOSQUE
Medium: Etching & Aquatint on copper plate.
Size: 210mm x 290mm

(This is part of the ‘Palestine’ series, commemorating the architectural heritage of Gaza.)
Title: THE GRAND OMARI MOSQUE AFTER THE BOMBING
Medium: Etching & Aquatint on zinc plate.
Size: 290mm x 420 mm

(This is part of the ‘Palestine’ series, commemorating the architectural heritage of Gaza.)
Title: THE PORPHYRIUS CHURCH
Medium: Etching & Aquatint on copper plate.
Size: 210mm x 290mm

(This is part of the ‘Palestine’ series, commemorating the architectural heritage of Gaza.)
Title: THE PORPHYRIUS CHURCH AFTER BOMBING
Medium: Etching & Aquatint on zinc plate.
Size: 290mm x 420mm

(This is part of the ‘Palestine’ series, commemorating the architectural heritage of Gaza.)
Title: THE TERRORISTS
Medium: Etching on zinc plate with spot print.
Size: 290mm x 410mm

(This is part of the ‘Palestine’ series. These are names of the Palestinian babies
who will never reach their first birthdays.)
BEYOND PRINTMAKING...
Pen sketches for an upcoming graphic novel called “Karail Dreams”. The novel is about class warfare at
a distant future where our consciousness and dreams have collided to create a new surreal world.

The Void, Pen and Ink, 2019

Inside a dream, Pen and Ink, 2019
Walking Karail, Pen and Ink, 2019
THE WOMAN SERIES
The Original Woman, Watercolor, 2024
The Warrior Woman, Watercolor, 2020
The Dancing Woman, Pen and ink, 2020
The Flower Woman, Pen and ink, 2020
 To contact Fawaz Rob:

Mobile: +8801713131657 (WhatsApp)

Email: FawazRob@gmail.com

To see the world of Fawaz Rob, please visit:

www.FawazRobPrint.com