Rejuvenating the market for art

Photo: Prabir Das

It is refreshing to read the well-written cover story. However, famous artists all over the world started out as unknowns.  The facts of the art game are that if you're an early or mid-career artist, you'll typically appear in small to medium sized art galleries, until you begin producing art that catches the attention of broader audiences and major players. In other words, you'll have to work your way up the ladder of success just like all successful artists have had to do before you.
If you got into this art game primarily to make a lot of money and are now upset because you're not making enough of it as fast as you thought you would, then you're in the wrong profession.  Keep up the great work---perhaps one day, resentful young artists will complain about your fame, fortune and excessive appearances in the mass media as well.
Neelima Siddiqua
Bailey Road, Dhaka
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I would like to congratulate the writer on writing such a well researched and investigative feature on the art scene in Bangladesh. The art galleries should be more sympathetic toward the young artists. Their intention to make a profit is understandable and rational; if they do not make profit, they would not be able to stay in business in this competitive market. But their business plan must include options of investing in talented young artists. Art consultants can play an important role in promoting emerging artists.
Artists need recommendations for galleries, venues, publications and competitions to gain more exposure. Others need a website and/or portfolio critique. Or help with pricing. Consultants can help with all these. They can also help manage a gallery. They review operational procedures, critical working documents (including contracts), assess marketing efforts, and define achievable goals for increasing sales. They can provide a guest curator for an exhibition or a project manager for a juried competition.
Kona Chowdhury
Banani, Dhaka
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Forensic Echoes

The writer deserves our heartfelt gratitude for this brilliant essay. It is unfortunate that the Kalpana Chakmas 'disappear' in an independent country on a regular basis. I hope the last paragraph will make us take a hard look at ourselves and inspire us in our quest for social justice.
Helaluddin Ahmed
Kamlapur, Dhaka

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Photo: Prabir Das

It takes Two to Tango

I thank the Star magazine for publishing an article on a topic that is often ignored in our country. Employees will feel motivated if they know that their contribution is valuable for the organisation and they are adequately compensated for it. Managers must know that employees not only give, they also take. They take job satisfaction, self-esteem and a sense of belonging. If the organisation fails to provide employees with these, they will not feel motivated to give their best effort. Ultimately, what sets a company apart from others is its people. More than technology it's the people that make the difference. In the US, there are companies like Whole Foods where employees are part owners and share the profit the company makes. In some US companies, there are no fixed hours employees are required to work, they can come and go as they please. What the management cares about is the result. Perhaps our companies can learn from these practices.
Sumit Dutta
Jordan Road, Barisal

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Just a Simple Question

Americans purchase half of the eight million guns manufactured annually around the world, with only 5 percent of the world's population. We (Americans) have a 3.35 gun death rate per 100,000 population compared to Canada's 0.51 and England/Wales' (analyzed together) of 0.08.
Surely there are many reasons why our country has more than 300 times the gun death rate of England and Wales. We need to reconsider our casual acceptance of violence, our high-pressure workplace, our lack of the economic safety net that is common in many developed countries, our inferior health care system (for both physical and mental health), and our educational practices.
Let's take the easy steps: require background checks before gun purchases and ban private sales of assault weapons and magazines with over 10 rounds. This helped greatly in Australia, and probably will here.
Stephanie Rollin
Oklahoma City, USA

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Cracks in the AL  Skyscraper
I want to thank the writer for the in-depth analysis of the recent mayoral election in four cities. It is a wakeup call for the ruling party. They were too arrogant to read the writing on the wall. The AL led government through one scam after another has lost the trust of people who voted them into power expecting a positive change. Not only have they disappointed the people, they have also established themselves as a government as corrupt as any previous ones, if not more.
But more importantly, when the choice is between the custodians of the faith and atheists, any other outcome would have been a surprise.
Mohammad Saquib
Miami, Florida,USA