Bangladeshi Artists Paint A True Picture of GE's Greenwash

By Market Forces

August 2^nd, 2023

Bangladesh is at the forefront of the climate emergency, facing devastating floods, record-breaking heatwaves, and cyclones. Just this year, cyclone Mocha made landfall in Bangladesh and Myanmar, claiming over 100 lives and affecting millions.

Electric Bangladesh: Fossil Free Futures

Five Bangladeshi artists have come together to call on one of America’s largest and most iconic companies, General Electric (GE), to stop pushing new fossil fuel projects in Bangladesh. The exhibition calls for a safe and secure future, one where lives and livelihoods are not disrupted, and Bangladeshis have electricity produced from renewable energy.

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Bangladeshi Artists Paint A True Picture of GE's Greenwash

Daily Diet 01 by Ata Mojlish

Ata Mojlish

"Southeast Bangladesh's Chattogram region is seeing GE involvement in new liquid natural gas (LNG) projects that would emit nearly double the country's annual emissions over the plants' operational lives."

“We must not neglect the immediate impact of fossil fuel projects, especially GE’s contributions.”

Daily Diet 02 by Ata Mojlish

"Consequences go beyond humanity's future, affecting livelihoods of humans and animals, erasing identities, cultures, and histories."

"Daily Diet 01-02, a diptych-style multimedia piece, focuses on displacement in Chattogram's Matarbari and Moheshkhali areas. Using imagery from 2023 ads of Coal Power Plant projects, it reimagines machinery as otherworldly vessels with vivid hues, depicting abduction of humans and wildlife. This work emphasizes the urgency and prompts ethical considerations, advocating for sustainable alternatives to protect our planet and communities."

The GE Barbecue by AFM Moniruzzaman 'Shipu'. See this artwork come to life with Artivive.

AFM Moniruzzaman ‘Shipu’

“Light, air, water, and soil. These are our lives. They are everything to us. We are just parasites in this world.”

Life on the GE Raft by AFM Moniruzzaman 'Shipu'. See this artwork come to life with Artivive.

“Do not pick up what you want from the ground and burn it in the air. If this earth does not survive, we will not survive. Would you?”

Periphery’s Echo - 1 by Debashish Chakrabarty

Debashish Chakrabarty

In the depths of Debashish’s creative journey as an artist from Bangladesh, he has been captivated by the plight of his nation, a land nestled on the periphery of the global capital centre and embroiled in intricate power politics. Through his latest work, Periphery's Echo, he seeks to shed light on the profound struggles faced by the people of his region, particularly their lack of agency when confronted with the imminent threat of an LNG power plant.

“Bangladesh, a country with its unique cultural tapestry and vibrant heritage, is an embodiment of resilience and strength.”

Periphery’s Echo - 2 by Debashish Chakrabarty

Yet, it finds itself precariously positioned on the outskirts of the global power landscape, where decisions are often made far removed from its own voices and aspirations. It is within this context that Debashish’s artistic expression strives to reveal and amplify the silenced narratives of his people.

Periphery's Echo is a multifaceted artwork that weaves together the collective experiences of the marginalized communities affected by the LNG power plant. Through a variety of mediums—ink and digital drawings, and mixed media—he creates a visceral and thought-provoking experience that resonates with viewers and challenges the prevailing narratives of progress and development.

CO2 vs See O2 by Morshed Mishu

Morshed Mishu

"GE Vernova’s LNG power plants will release enormous amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) gas into the atmosphere. "

“Corporations like this don’t care much about the environment and care more about making money.”

"Profit becomes Oxygen (O2) for them and they’re so focused on that part that they can’t even see CO2 pollution. In this particular cartoon I tried to portray this point. Where everyone can see CO2 pollution, money makers will see what they want to see."

GE Greenwash; Farting CO2 Gas by Morshed Mishu

"LNG power projects in the Chattogram region in Bangladesh with GE Vernova’s involvement would add approximately 430 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2-e) to the atmosphere throughout the plant’s operational lives."

“This is equivalent to almost double the annual national emissions of Bangladesh.”

Bay of Bengal (Shad/Ilish fish) by Monica Jahan Bose

Monica Jahan Bose

"My family is from an island in the Bay of Bengal on the frontlines of climate change. I use a combination of etching, watercolor, and sari woodblocks to create works that speak to climate change. Bay of Bengal (Shad/Ilish fish) is about the burning of fossil fuels leading to waters warming, harming fish and other species. Bring Good Things to Life uses two etching plates, plus wood blocks depicting renewable energy.

Growing up in the US, I heard the GE slogan and had positive associations with the company. GE’s export of fossil fuel infrastructure to Bangladesh is extremely concerning to me and my family. The work shows a woman struggling in a poisoned, overheated red environment. Both the pieces have the Bengali words “Red Blood,” a phrase and slogan from our Liberation War that is also relevant to the current existential struggle of the climate crisis. My hope is that GE will bring “good things” in the form of renewable energy to Bangladesh and abandon these terrible fossil fuel projects. I bring my own collective history into my art work: my heritage and ancestral homeland may drown under the Indian Ocean."

Bring Good Things to Life by Monica Jahan Bose

This group of artists are urging GE to embrace a future with electricity produced from clean, renewable energy instead. GE Vernova has the opportunity to harness its wind energy business in Bangladesh to ensure a clean energy future. Will GE stop promoting fossil fuels and choose clean, renewable alternatives?

Want to take action?

Tell GE Vernova to stop fossil fuel expansion in Bangladesh and instead back renewable power!

Send a message to GE

Artist bios

Ata Mojlish is a multimedia artist who splits his existence between Dhaka, Bangladesh and Austin, Texas. Working with a variety of digital mediums such as photography, digital manipulation, video, motion graphics, audio and 3D; he researches questions on self exploration, displacement, political systems, identity and the perceptions of home.

AFM Moniruzzaman 'Shipu' is an artist and educator who works in various mediums including augmented reality, animation, painting, printmaking, installations, performance art, graffiti, and comics. Shipu’s interactive graffiti is highly unique in technique and style, and his innovative community engagement approach to art has attracted the attention of the world, with invitations from organisations such as Creative Time Summit in the USA, Sussex University England, Sasaran Art Community Malaysia, and University of Liberal Arts Dhaka. His animated short film ‘Apon’s Bike’ has been screened at various international film festivals in Japan, Korea, Pakistan and New York, USA.

Monica Jahan Bose is a Bangladeshi-American artist and climate activist whose work spans painting, printmaking, film, performance, and public art. Monica has exhibited her work extensively in the US and internationally including solo exhibitions at the Bangladesh National Museum and MACRO Museum of Contemporary Art Rome. Her ongoing collaborative project Storytelling with Saris with women farmers from her ancestral island village has travelled to ten US states and seven countries, engaging thousands of people worldwide. Her work has appeared in the Miami Herald, the Washington Post, Art Asia Pacific, the Milwaukee Sentinel, the Honolulu Star Advertiser, the Japan Times, and all major newspapers in Bangladesh.

Morshed Mishu is a talented and renowned cartoonist from Bangladesh known for his distinctive artistic style and clever wit. Born with a passion for drawing, Mishu has dedicated his life to creating thought-provoking cartoons that capture the essence of social and political issues. With a keen eye for detail and a knack for satire, he has amassed a loyal following for his incisive commentary and humorous illustrations. Mishu's work transcends boundaries, touching upon a wide range of subjects with a unique blend of humour and insight. Through his cartoons, he continues to entertain, inspire, and provoke conversations that challenge the status quo. He was recognised as Forbes 30 under 30 Asia in 2019 for his series of work titled “The Global Happiness Challenge”. He is also an SDG Socializer for UNDP.

Debashish Chakrabarty was born and grew up in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. An artist, author and photography graduate of the capital’s Pathshala South Asian Media Institute, he uses diverse optical, photographic and drawing techniques to narrate stories that reflect various degrees of human experiences.