// Workers AI · dad joke modeIs Mohammad Hanif Pappu a good baker? He kneads the facts.
Mohammad Hanif Pappu | |
|---|---|
মোহাম্মদ হানিফ পাপু | |
| Born | Nawabpur, Dhaka, Bangladesh |
| Known for | Rickshaw painting, film banner painting |
| Movement | Folk art |
Mohammad Hanif Pappu (Bengali: মোহাম্মদ হানিফ পাপু; born c. 1962)[1] is a Bangladeshi rickshaw and film banner painter.[2][3] He has been active as a painter since 1968, working in the film banner industry before transitioning to rickshaw art after digital printing reduced demand for hand-painted cinema posters.[3][2] He represented Bangladesh at an international workshop in Denmark in 2013.[2][4] In August 2025, he founded "Pappu's Art School for All", a free community art school in Old Dhaka offering training in rickshaw painting.[5][6]
Early life
[edit source]Hanif Pappu was born in Nawabpur, Dhaka, Bangladesh, around 1962.[1][3] His fascination with art began at a young age. He was introduced to painting through his maternal uncle, whose studio he visited as a child.[3][1] Coming from a conservative family, art was initially discouraged.[2][2] He began painting in 1968.[3]
Career
[edit source]Pappu started his career as a film banner artist in Dhaka, painting large cinema posters by hand.[3][2] He became known for his speed, reportedly able to complete a large banner in three hours, a task that typically took a group of artists a full day.[2][2] He was known as "The Machine" for his exceptional speed.[2]
In the early 2000s, digital printing led to a decline in demand for hand-painted film banners.[3][2][1] Pappu continued working by scaling down his operations and painting on other surfaces, including rickshaw backplates, kettles, sunglasses, and lanterns.[2][3][6] He also painted posters for gaye holud (wedding ceremonies).[3] He also created a painting for a male contraceptive brand called Raja Condom.[7]
In 2013, Pappu was invited to Denmark for the Images Festival in Aarhus, where he and fellow artist Mohammad Shoaib created hand-painted portraits of local mayoral candidates in Bollywood style.[4][2] He represented Bangladesh among 120 countries at an international workshop.[2] Following this trip, he set up a workshop in Dhaka.[3]
In August 2024, Pappu participated in a mural project at Dhaka University, organised by the Bangladesh Rickshaw Art Society, where rickshaw painters transformed walls near Sheikh Russel Tower into a vibrant canvas. The mural included tributes to those lost in recent protests and featured a rickshaw puller as a symbol of solidarity.[8]
In January 2026, Pappu's work was featured at the Rickshaw Art Festival 2026, held at North South University, which showcased works by notable rickshaw artists and included workshops and panel discussions on preserving the art form.[9]
In March 2026, Pappu participated in "Gallery on Wheels", a daylong event organised by Gallery Cosmos at the Private Museum in Baridhara, Dhaka, celebrating the UNESCO recognition of rickshaw art.[10]
Pappu's Art School for All
[edit source]In August 2025, Pappu founded "Pappu's Art School for All", a free community art school located at 38 Hossaini Dalan Road in Chawkbazar, Old Dhaka.[5][6] The school offers free and inclusive training in rickshaw painting, open to all regardless of age, gender, or income.[6][5] Classes are held every Friday and Saturday from 3 PM to 5 PM.[5] The initiative is supported by community artists including Rafiqul Islam, Solaiman, Mohammad Shipon, Md Humayun, Abdur Rob, Abdul Karim, and Md Dulal, who serve as mentors.[5] The school officially launched on 1 August 2025.[5] Pappu has expressed a desire to expand the school internationally.[2][5]
Legacy and recognition
[edit source]In December 2023, "Rickshaws and Rickshaw painting in Dhaka" was officially recognised as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.[2][10][1][11] Pappu expressed happiness at the recognition but noted that interest in the art among younger generations is declining.[1][11] He estimated that only 30 to 40 rickshaw painters remain active in Dhaka.[1]
Pappu's work has been featured in various exhibitions and media outlets, including the Rickshaw Art Festival 2026 and Gallery on Wheels.[9][10] He has also been the subject of a documentary, Hanif Pappu: An Artist Cease to Exist (2024).[12]
References
[edit source]- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "From silver screen to traffic jam: Moving pictures of Bangladeshi rickshaw art". Arab News. 7 March 2024. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Sarwar, Adrin (1 February 2026). "An art made with colour, heart and dreams". The Daily Star. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Transtemporal travel: From Film Banner Art to Rickshaw Art". Showcase. 1 April 2023. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
- 1 2 "Borgmesterkandidater a la Bollywood". Stiften. 6 September 2013. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Anika, Ayman (7 August 2025). "Pappu's Art School for All brings rickshaw painting to everyone". The Daily Star. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 "Hanif Pappu's art school 'for everyone'". bdnews24.com. 9 August 2025. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
- ↑ "Bangladeshi painter Hanif Pappu busy to painting of the Bangladeshi cinemas poster". Getty Images. 3 February 2018. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
- ↑ "Rickshaw art turn Dhaka University walls into an art gallery". The Daily Star. 14 August 2024. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
- 1 2 "Rickshaw Art Festival 2026 celebrates Bangladesh's colourful heritage". The Daily Star. 29 January 2026. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
- 1 2 3 "Gallery Cosmos organises 'Gallery on Wheels'". New Age. 28 March 2026. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
- 1 2 "Bangladesh's Rickshaw Art: A Colorful Heritage Facing Extinction". Hernet. 22 December 2023. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
- ↑ "Hanif Pappu: An Artist Cease to Exist". FilmFreeway. Retrieved 9 August 2026.