Rana Begum
British, Bangladeshi born artist Rana Begum combines urban visual stimuli such as the abstract clashes of form and colour that can be seen in the city, with the traditional repetition of geometric form found in Islamic art. Hoarding copious amounts of electrical tape in an array of colours from DIY stores. This functional adhesive aid serves as the medium for Begums colour riddled mirages. In all of her works adhesive tapes codify a visual language of repetition, balance and colour. Sealing the strips onto aluminium with resin unifies the painting, permeating beauty and immortality.
The artist deploys a confident use of minimalism in a repetitive and simplistic manner. At a glance, this has the appearance of an immaculate surface. Upon closer Inspection, irregularities are born; process and techniques revealed.
Larger works, often translate as sculptures. Feeding on the architecture of a space; Jutting, leaning, and cutting lines in space. Juxtaposed as a geometric illusion on all sides.
At the core of the structure, Begum has realised the many possible facets of painting that can be explored from a whole multitude of points within a space. These works make overpowering associations of culture, function, architecture, pattern and design, and are transformed into monumental works of art.
www.ranabegum.com
The artist deploys a confident use of minimalism in a repetitive and simplistic manner. At a glance, this has the appearance of an immaculate surface. Upon closer Inspection, irregularities are born; process and techniques revealed.
Larger works, often translate as sculptures. Feeding on the architecture of a space; Jutting, leaning, and cutting lines in space. Juxtaposed as a geometric illusion on all sides.
At the core of the structure, Begum has realised the many possible facets of painting that can be explored from a whole multitude of points within a space. These works make overpowering associations of culture, function, architecture, pattern and design, and are transformed into monumental works of art.
www.ranabegum.com
Born in Bangladesh, lives and works in London, UK
Education
2000 Slade School of Fine Art, London.
2002 MFA in Painting.
1996 Chelsea College of Art and Design, London.
1999 BA (Hons) Fine Art Degree (Painting).
1995 University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, Hertfordshire.
1996 BTEC Diploma in Foundation Studies in Art and Design.
Forthcoming Exhibitions
2010 Solo show at Bischoff/Weiss, London
Solo Exhibitions
2010 Solo show at Delfina Foundation, London
2009 Solo show at Barts Hospital, VitalArts, London
The Moment of Alignment solo show at The Third Line, Dubai.
2008 Transient Symmetry at VineSpace, London
2007 Colour Codes at The Third Line, Dubai. Catalogue
Group Exhibitions
2009 How Nations are Made, Cartwright Hall and Manor House, Bradford
Pattern Recognition, The City Gallery, Leicester
Lines of Control, group show, London. Catalogue
Identity, group show, Aisho Miura Arts, Tokyo. Catalogue
Neither Here, Nor There, Various Cityt Location- Billboards
2008 Contact, Bricklane, Work No. 951, London. Catalogue Art Dubai, Madinat Jumeriah, Dubai.
Monologue/Dialogue Part II, Bischoff/Weiss, London
2007 Repetition and Sequence, Jerwood Space, London. Catalogue Group show at Pablo's Birthday, New York
Sequence and Repetition, Beldam Gallery, Uxbridge. Catalogue
2006 Monologue/Dialogue, BU Gallery, Bangkok. CatalogueSequence and Repetition, Beldam Gallery, Uxbridge. Catalogue
2005 Art:21 Power /Memory/Structures/Play, Art Museum of Western Virginia.
Ad Infinitum: The Aesthetics of Repetition II, Haines Gallery, CA.
Summer Exhibition, group show, Purdy Hicks, Boston.
The Same But Different, MILL-WORKERS, Manchester
Colour My World, Riflemaker, London.2004 Upstarts, Haines Gallery, San Francisco. CA.
Summer Exhibition, group show, Purdy Hicks, Boston.
Gallery artist, group show, Purdy Hicks, London.
2x2, Dahl Gallery, Luzern, Switzerland.
2003 Gallery artist, group show, Purdy Hicks, London. Lexmark European Painting Prize, Eye Storm Gallery, London.
2002 Four Art Schools, AT Kearney, London.Cheswick park show, London. Curator Catherine Lambert & Ed Allington.
Painting in the Park, New Painting from Bloomsbury, London.
Hang the Curator, The Central Space, London.
Hang the Curator, The Central Space, London.
Reviews
2010 Time Out, In the studio by Helen Sumpter
2009 Modern Painters, Back to Black by Jyoti Dhar
What’s On, Dubai, The line of beauty by Catherine Jarvie
Gulf News, Dubai newspaper, Lines of enchantment, Jyoti Kalsi
Time Out, Dubai, Solid Geometry by Chris Lord
The National, Dubai newspaper, Patterns of work by Ed Lake
2008 Financial Time, Abstraction Rules OK by Jan Dalley2007 Vogue UK, October issue, The alchemists by Louisa Buck
LÓfficial Middle East, Colour Codes
OK, Dubai, Colour Codes
City Times, Dubai, Colour Codes
Gulf News, Dubai. Colour Codes
Time Out, Dubai, Issue 36, Colour Codes
Harper’s Bazaar, Dubai, Sep. 2007, Colour Codes
2006 The Nation Newspaper, Bangkok, Monologue/Dialogue.2005 Art at the mill, a-n magazine, review The Same But Different.
2004 Alison Bing, SF Gate, review Upstarts, Haines Gallery, San Francisco.
Apero Newspaper, review 2x2 show, Dahl Gallery, Switzerland.
Awards/Commissions/Residencies
2009 Two months residency in Beirut through Delfina Foundation
2006 British Council Residency in Bangkok
2007 Nominated for the Paul Hamlyn Foundation Award
2005 Lewisham Hospital Commission.
Coventry Hospital Commission in collaboration with Tess Jaray.
Artist in Residence at West Dean College, West Sussex.
2000 Arts and Humanities Research Board award for postgraduate study.Selected Collections
Art Museum of Western Virginia.
Ernst & Young Collection. London.
Dahl Gallery, Switzerland.
The London Institute.
