Kushtia Artist Wins Hearts with Massive Wall Portraits of Messi

Driven by a deep passion for football superstar Lionel Messi, a young commercial artist from Bheramara, Kushtia, has taken the internet by storm after painting a massive mural of the Argentine icon.

Shariful Sheikh, a drawing teacher at Bright Future Model School and a commercial artist by profession, painted four large portraits of Messi on the walls of shops adjacent to Arkandi Bazar in Bheramara Upazila. The display, spanning a 16-by-10-foot wall, features two color and two black-and-white portraits, completely funded by the artist himself.

"I have supported Argentina since 2002," Shariful said. "Over time, Messi’s play style, personality, and life struggle deeply inspired me. I painted a picture of him during the last World Cup, and I did this again out of pure love, without any commercial purpose."

The vibrant wall art has turned Arkandi Bazar into a local attraction, drawing crowds of all ages who gather daily to take photos. Local residents, like Mostafa Hossain, noted that seeing large-scale portraits of international sports stars is a rare and exciting event for rural communities.

Shariful’s creative talents extend far beyond sports murals. A folk music enthusiast, he is well-known across Bangladesh for his portraits of historical and cultural icons, particularly the Baul emperor Fakir Lalon Shah. His dedication to portraying Lalon Shah earned him a national spotlight in 2009 when he was featured on Hanif Sanket’s popular television magazine show, Ityadi.

Local art enthusiasts point out that Shariful’s work proves exceptional talent thrives outside major cities, though artists from rural areas could contribute much more to the national stage with proper institutional patronage and financial support.