Raqib Shaw

Victoria Miro Gallery, London
Acquired directly from the above by the present owner

 

Colour: The colours in the catalogue illustration are fairly accurate although the overall tonality is much brighter and more vibrant in the actual work where the surface has a far greater lustre and luminosity. Condition: This work is in very good condition. There are faint handling marks in places to the white side edges of the board. Upon very close inspection there is a tiny spot of unobtrusive wear to the centre of the extreme top edge. There is a minute, faint rub mark beneath the upper left corner and one 20cm beneath this.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Born in Calcutta and brought up in the cultural wealth of Kashmir, Raqib Shaw's ancestry plays a central role in the creation of his elaborately layered paintings.  "Kashmir" Shaw says, "was named paradise by the Mughal emperor Jehangir, who said 'If there is heaven on earth, it is here, it is here, it is here" (the artist cited in: Exhibition Catalogue, New York, Museum of Modern Art, Without Boundary: Seventeen Ways of Looking, p. 16).  Themes of utopia or paradise and extreme pleasure are central to Shaw's work, the pinnacle being the Garden of Earthly Delights series.  Drawing on sources from the eastern cultures of India, as well as China and Japan, Shaw employs designs and patterns recalling Oriental carpets, Persian miniatures and Jamevar shawls.  References to Western art also prevail, in particular Bosch and the half-human, half-animal creatures that swim amongst his surface.

Woven within the rich and seductive surfaces of Shaw's jewel-like piantings, there is a fantasy being played out, masked by the obsessive detail and ornate texture.  Themes of hedonism prevail, illustrated by a circus of sexual acts and undercurrents of violence persist.  Throughout, there is a tension between abstraction and description, an undetermined narrative.  Although Shaw's imagery appears to be that of fantasy and fiction, much is studied from life directly - often visiting the Natural History Museum to studies different varieties of flora and fauna to incorporate into his work. Shaw's Untitled is a magnificent contemporary reinterpretation of a classic and timeless theme, capturing the quest of paradise in the most surreal and divine way.