Important Notice

Drawing influences from constructivist and minimalist artists such as Agnes Martin and Sol LeWitt, Rana Begum utilises an interplay of light, colour and form to create abstract sculptures and installations that offer viewers a dynamic sensorial experience. “She never mixes pigment, but positions units of colour in such a way that light does the job for her, creating overlapping reflections that change as the viewer moves.” (Harriet Fitch Little,... Drawing influences from constructivist and minimalist artists such as Agnes Martin and Sol LeWitt, Rana Begum utilises an interplay of light, colour and form to create abstract sculptures and installations that offer viewers a dynamic sensorial experience. “She never mixes pigment, but positions units of colour in such a way that light does the job for her, creating overlapping reflections that change as the viewer moves.” (Harriet Fitch Little, “Rana Begum on Form, Colour and Light,” Financial Times, 2017, online) With this, Begum elevates materials such as paper and extruded aluminium from the quotidian to the sublime.

The present lot features a vertical arrangement of powder coated aluminium bars. Light is a vital activating element that creates dynamic visual shifts as the viewer moves past the installation — “See it from one angle, and it looks like a flat, monochrome block. Shift a little, and colours, shadows and dimensions emerge. It’s like watching a piece shed its skin to reveal an entirely new creation.” (Deepanjana Pal, “Colour Scheme,” Wallpaper, 2011) The intentional use of space between the bars lends the work an origami-like appearance that’s at odds with the robustness of the materials used, a quality that defines many of Begum’s sculptural works. It also invites the viewer to pause and contemplate the installation, offering an experience that’s meditative and yet engaging.

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