Rana Begum RA (b.1977) is an artist known for her wide ranging works, from the intimate to the monumental. Using a variety of materials and exploring the use of light, she blurs the boundaries between sculpture, architecture, design and painting to create works that are both playful and ambiguous. This comprehensive monograph expands on previous writings to investigate the ideas behind the artist's varied use of materials, including wood, metal, ready-made industrial components and MDF. With a focus on her processes, the ways in which Begum's work intersects with architecture and design are drawn out, while key sources of inspiration - from the environments in which the artist works, to Islamic art and minimalism - are discussed. Combining contextual essays and an extensive interview with the artist, the development of Begum's work - from painting and furniture design to installations and light sculptures - is traced to present an in-depth overview of the multifaceted, complex work of this fascinating artist.
Anne Barlow is Director of Tate St Ives. Previously based in New York, she was Director of Art in General (2007-16) and Curator of Education and Media Programs, New Museum (1999-2006). Sam Jacob is Principal of Sam Jacob Studio for Architecture and Design, a London-based practice that spans varied disciplines, including art and curatorial projects. He is also Professor of Architecture at University of Illinois, Chicago. Lisa Le Feuvre is a curator, writer and public speaker and the inaugural Executive Director of Holt/Smithson Foundation. Previously she led the Henry Moore Institute (2010-17). Maria Lind is a curator, writer and educator and is currently serving as the Counsellor for Cultural Affairs at the Embassy of Sweden, Moscow. She was previously Director of Stockholm's Tensta Konsthall (2011-18), and Artistic Director of the 11th Gwangju Biennale. Adnan Madani is a writer, artist, curator and lecturer at Goldsmiths, University of London. He writes on South Asian art, Islamic thought, contemporary forms and philosophies of belief, secularism and cultural globalisation. Sarah Victoria Turner is an art historian, curator and educator. She is Deputy Director for Research at the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art in London, and co-editor of British Art Studies, an award-winning digital arts publication.
Foreword, Anne Barlow; The Visual Adventures of Rana Begum, Maria Lind; A Conversation with Lisa Le Feuvre; Waves of Light, Sarah Victoria Turner; Occupations of Space, Sam Jacob; Infinity, Information, Noise: Rana Begum's Abstraction, Adnan Madani; Notes; Select Bibliography; Biography; Exhibitions; Public Collections; Public Commissions; Acknowledgements; Image Credits; Index
