Thursday, May 5, 2011

Desperately Seeking Paradise


Desperately Seeking Paradise II (2010-2011)
©Lisson Gallery

Rashid Rana
Lisson Gallery 
London

It has been a hectic and sad week with the loss of a close friend in New York, it makes you think of how fragile life really is. How quickly your little world can change and how we should not be allowed to complain over trivialities, but still keep doing it. We are human after all with the good and the bad that comes with it, but a reminder of gratitude for what we have, is sometimes of great value.

With an Au Pair arriving yesterday, I have time to delve into the world of Art again and I thought it would be appropriate to mention the great exhibit that is going on at the Lisson Gallery at the moment. 

It is rare that I get to view and write about an artist still living and working in Pakistan. Especially great to show such talent from a Country with such bad reputation after having hid Osama Bin Laden for years. 

Rashid Rana is seen as one of the most promising artists from South Asia today and lives and work in Lahore, Pakistan. 

©Lisson Gallery

Another view from "Desperately Seeking Paradise", a large installation that contains lots of tiny prints on aluminium and stainless steel. Together they become a view of a city, from another view it has a mirror effect and if you go close you see tiny pictures of buildings, streets and rooms.

Language Series 1 (2010-2011)
Lightjet Print (360x270 cm)
©Lisson Gallery


These large inkjet prints looks nearly like a painting from far, but close up you again see the tiny square photos that has been put together like a quilt. These can be bought in smaller editions as well. 

Books 2 (2010-2011)
©Lisson Gallery

A photographic sculpture that resembles layers of blocks but with images of books.

"Rana presents a series of key works in which he redeploys photographic imagery in varied formats including installation, sculpture, and large-scale photographic prints. These works see Rana drawing on techniques such as pixelation to problematise and reconfigure the relationship between part and whole, fragment and meaning."
  - Lisson Gallery

The Lisson Gallery just decided to represent Rashid Rana, so hopefully I will soon get to see more of his work. Not to say they were the first to present him, he has been shown at the Whitechapel (London), Asia Society (NY) Philips Contemporary (Mumbai) and Musee Guimet (Paris) among others.


With Love 
Kristin




















15 comments:

  1. omg LONG time - i've just been so OUT of the blog loop! - misssssssed you! - great inspiration and INSANE art!

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  2. Gorgeous work!

    So sorry for your loss, darling!

    xoxox,
    CC

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  3. Hllo Kristin:
    We are so very sorry to learn of the death of your friend. Life is, indeed, as you rightly say, very fragile and for that so very precious.

    The work you show of Rashid Rana is exceedingly exciting. Sadly, we do not think we shall have time to be in London on this visit as we should be most interested to see the exhibition.

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  4. My thoughts to you and your friend's family.

    Thanks for highlighting this artist!

    Oh and my friend's mom was an art dealer so I think it was named after her family?

    xoxo,
    Chic 'n Cheap Living

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  5. Sorry to hear about the loss of your friend. Sending strength your way...

    xx Cat brideblu

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  6. WONDERFUL installation.

    My very best to you!

    HG

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  7. I am sorry for your loss. It's beautiful what you wrote about life and how fragile it is. I completely agree with you.
    very interesting installations

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  8. I'm so sorry for your loss K. My prayers are with you!

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  9. i like the block of books. great post!

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  10. Sending love your way...take care xo

    Thanks for posting about another interesting and talented artist:))

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  11. I think your first words were so powerful and such a good reminder to live. I'm sorry about your friend :(

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  12. Love your site....love the artistic premise.
    Will add you link to my favs.

    Thanks for stopping by ... you have a great weekend as well!

    Hunter

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  13. So true, that we need to do a better job living and accept life's trivialities. You just never know what's around the corner. Sending love and light...

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  14. the title of the work and your post is too (sadly) perfect...

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