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Raqib Shaw

Raqib Shaw was born in India but is based in London. He wasn't known in the international art world until the age of 33. He is known for his highly detailed large paintings of imagined worlds.




His work seems to celebrate a world free of  restraint. Full of strange creatures and unlimited wealth. His worlds always seem bright and full of natural life.


Shaw uses a unique technique, where pools of enamel and metallic industrial paints are manipulated to the desired effect with a porcupine quill. He uses photography to capture facial expressions and positions then projects them to be used as a stencil. He uses embossed gold, a technique similar to ‘cloisonné’ found in early Asian pottery, which is a source of inspiration to Shaw, along with Uchikake (Japanese wedding kimonos), Byobu (screens), medieval heraldry carpets and jewellery.


Self Portrait as Bottom (A Midsummer Night’s Dream) (2016)


The Mild-Eyed Melancholy of The Lotus Eaters II



Kashmir Danaë (After Jan Gossaert), 2016
He is Inspired by heavily by Hieronymous Bosch's fifteenth century visionary triptych.

Hieronymus Bosch was 15/16th century Dutch/Netherlandish draughtsman and painter from Brabant.  His work contains fantastic illustrations of religious concepts and narratives.


The Garden of Earthly Delights in the Museo del Prado in Madrid, c. 1495–1505, attributed to Bosch.



Bosch, “Death and the Miser.” 1494–1516, oil on wood panel





I started to feel so inspired by these works, i loved the idea of creating my own world! i started thinking about my digital collages and looking at different parts of the paintings and how i could create them digitally...











I love this and it is something i will continue with this year. I will keep posting as i go.




Sources:

https://www.nationalgalleries.org/exhibition/raqib-shaw-reinventing-old-masters

https://whitecube.com/artists/artist/raqib_shaw

https://www.hieronymus-bosch.org/

https://www.spikeartmagazine.com/en/articles/whats-so-contemporary-about-hieronymus-boschs-apocalyptic-visions

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