#md tokon

[thunderstruck9]

Md Tokon (Bangladeshi, 1980), Lovers in the Garden, 2023. Acrylic on canvas, 183 x 213 cm.

[shreyaajmani]

Md Tokon’s ‘Lovers in the Garden’ 

While starting out, there were days when quality paints were unaffordable, pushing Tokon to employ enamel paint, repurposed from his stint in house painting—a temporary job that unexpectedly instilled a sense of artistic ownership. "My first job in New York was construction. I would paint houses, only for a week or two, and I was falling in love with it. Every time I would paint someone's house wall, I would feel like it was my canvas." Yet, this unconventional choice was not without repercussions. The pungent odour of house paint led to a clash with an instructor, but the artist's determination to push through prevailed. "I almost cried that day. I could've stopped right there and ruined my career but I didn't stop." Juggling multiple jobs while nurturing his practice, Tokon found solace in painting on wood, eventually earning the instructor's appreciation. What initially led to a tense moment later transformed into camaraderie, even resulting in the instructor writing an article about the artist—a milestone in his growth within the New York art scene.

Excerpt from Md Tokon’s profile for Bonhams.

Text by Shreya Ajmani

[shreyaajmani]

Text on Artist Md Tokon on display for Open Studio in Brooklyn, New York

'Love Letter to the World' is the title for Md Tokon's open studio in Brooklyn, New York, on display through January 2024. 

The writing displayed is a profile on Tokon, written for 'The Asia Edit: Contemporary Art from the South Asian Diaspora' with Bonhams, scheduled to take place from January 17-31, 2024.

Text by Shreya Ajmani on Md Tokon for Bonhams.