Rina Banerjee

(i) Acquired directly from the artist by Galerie Volker Diehl, Berlin

Purchased from the above

(ii) Acquired directly from the artist, London

(ii) London, Thomas Gibson Fine Art, Raqib Shaw | Rina Banerjee, 7 - 28 October 2009

(i) Rina Banerjee: Exotic Industries 28 September - 23 October 2007, Exhibition Catalogue, Galerie Volker Diehl, Berlin, 2007, illustrated p. 76 & 77

(ii) Raqib Shaw and Rina Banerjee, 7 - 28 October 2009, Exhibition Catalogue, Thomas Gibson Fine Art Ltd., London, 2009, illustrated p. 28

There is minor staining to the paper, which is possibly inherent. The surface of both works are undulated and the edges are uneven, which appear to be the artist's intention. These are both mounted and framed behind plexi-glass and are in good overall condition, as viewed.
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Rina Banerjee studied material science engineering, before completing an MA in painting at Yale. Her paintings, drawings, installations and sculptures therefore contain a wide variety of media and multiple elements of texture and materiality. Banerjee’s works focus on content as much as the form and are layered with her own exotic imagination and emotions. Born in India but living most of her adult life in the United States, her imagery is a mix of cultural traditions, infused with elements of the East and West, giving her work an universal appeal.

What also becomes apparent after seeing her artworks, is her fascination with mythical and imaginary worlds inspired by a multitude of folk and fairy tales. Banerjee’s art becomes a conduit for imparting her own magical stories aided by her penchant for wordplay and the carefully thought out titles of her works. These titles are often used to guide the viewer through her work, and partly explain her thought-process. Her art is concerned with questions of identity and how identity is formed from her works. Banerjee's practice deftly traverses the boundaries of reality and transports the viewer into Banerjee’s own private sphere, full of fantastical narratives and inventive subjects. These two works contain strange but oddly endearing creatures of Banerjee’s own making, one with Medusa-esque hair, another nod to her fondness for historical parables.

A globally acclaimed artist, recently Rina Banerjee’s work was part of Greater New York at MoMA PS1, New York, (October, 2015- March 2016) as well as Hey You!  ~ Who Me? curated by Robert Storr, Yale School of Art, New Haven (April – June 2016). Her upcoming exhibitions include Busan Biennale 2016 and a large-scale solo exhibition at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts (November 2018).