Tangents
The Art of <i>Framing </i>
Jahangir and his frames. Photo: Ihtisham Kabir
I met Md. Jahangir Husain two years ago when I needed to frame my photographs. I had been searching fruitlessly for a good framemaker when a friend referred him. I walked into Jahangir Frame Ghor and found myself surrounded by stacks of photographs being matted, mounted and framed. Hanging on the walls were photos in sample frames. He did my job well and I have been a regular customer since. A good frame can add to the viewing experience while a bad frame can undo the artist's efforts. Thus, a framemaker is in many ways the unsung hero of art and photo exhibitions. Finding myself in the neighbourhood, I stopped by for a talk with Jahangir. His shop in Gausul Azam market (near Katabon) has expanded. He started making frames in 1989 with his uncle and set up his own shop in 1993. Now he employs six workers and frames many exhibitions in Dhaka and Chittagong. I ask him how a frame relates to the work of art inside it. He thinks about this. “A frame around art is like makeup on a woman's face - it enhances the beauty. Also, a frame brings longevity to a work of art.” Then he cautions. “The frame must never overpower the art or compete with it. Too much makeup on a face can destroy its beauty.” Jahangir started his business when his father passed away in 1993 and he accepted additional family responsibilities. His first break came when the photographer Chanchal Mahmud assigned him to frame an exhibition for Bangladesh Photographic Society. For photographs, Jahangir invented his own frame design involving a PVC backing board. It creates a handsome, lightweight frame without the need for glass or metal. This frame was used in Sidr-related exhibitions in Paris and London. I ask about memorable moments. He pauses then smiles. “There was a memorably risky moment. During [famed Indian photographer] Raghu Rai's exhibition, I had to sign a paper accepting a large liability in case I damaged his photos while framing them,” he says. But the exhibition was successful and Rai complimented him on his framing. At a corner, I notice a large, 3'x5' portrait of Tagore made from tiles. It will be framed in wood, he says. This leads me to ask about the largest work he has ever framed. “I once framed a 26'x26' photo of a head for a billboard. It was for an exhibition at the National Museum. Since it did not fit any truck, I had to hire labourers to hand carry it.” When needed, Jahangir works night and day to meet customer deadlines. But lack of skilled people hampers the growth of his business. “The key to become a framemaker is talent. Education helps, perhaps to SSC level. You earn enough to get by, and you get respect and recognition. It is hard to find people with the talent.” You also need a keen aesthetic sense, a rare commodity that Jahangir possesses.
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