Raqib Shaw

The vision of Raqib Shaw is characterized by deeply personal imagery that is simultaneously lavish and fantastical. He melds iconography from Eastern and Western traditions, weaving together influences from art history, mythology, poetry, theatre, religion, science, and natural history.

Raqib Shaw's Paintings: Showcasing a World of Fantasy

Raquib Shaw's paintings lure viewers into a dazzling world. Intricate details, rich colors, and surfaces that shimmer like gemstones all mask a darker reality. Beneath this beauty lies a hidden world teeming with violence and sexuality. Shaw populates his fantastical ecosystems with vibrantly colored flora and fauna, but his creatures are no ordinary inhabitants. Half-human, half-animal, they writhe in a chaotic dance, their mouths agape in screams and their eyes bulging, either swollen or bleeding.

Executed with meticulous detail, Raqib Shaw's paintings feature pools of enamel and metallic industrial paints, applied and manipulated with a porcupine quill to achieve the desired effect. Each motif is outlined in embossed gold, reminiscent of the 'cloisonné' technique seen in early Asian pottery.

His works have been showcased in countless exhibitions worldwide. One of them was "Absence of God" at White Cube in 2009. This show featured artworks portraying densely composed scenes populated by anthropomorphic creatures, alongside deep blue figures reminiscent of Krishna engaged in intense, sexual combat. Another well-known series is Raqib Shaw's "Paradise Lost." This series was presented at White Cube in 2011.

One more artwork by Raqib Shaw, "Garden of Earthly Delights," has received a lot of reviews from critics. As the artist stated in an interview, he wanted to create his own "garden that would be incredibly autobiographical, and highly coded, but also a garden that would enable me to share my sensibility to the rest of the world."

Inspired by the Empire style prominent in early 19th-century European, particularly French, art, Raqib Shaw also crafted a universe that reached its pinnacle in his exhibition, "Of Beasts and Super-Beasts," held at Thaddaeus Ropac Gallery. His works on paper feature anthropomorphic figures, with heads resembling birds, crocodiles, or tigers, straddling the realms of gods and heroes. They wield vessels adorned with griffon bases, pitchers featuring swan-neck handles, and other bird-themed artifacts. 

Raqib Shaw's Biography: Exploring the Artist's Life

Kashmir shaped Raqib Shaw's formative years. Born in Calcutta in 1974, he spent his childhood immersed in the vibrant life of this Indian region. 

However, political unrest that began to simmer in Kashmir in 1989 eventually forced the Shaw family to relocate to New Delhi in 1992. From then until 1998, the future artist found himself immersed in the family business. 

In 1993, a trip connected to the family business brought Shaw to London for the first time. Here, a life-changing encounter awaited him at the National Gallery. The awe-inspiring paintings ignited a passion for art within him, ultimately convincing him to pursue a career as an artist. This newfound dream led him back to London in 1998 to embark on his studies. He attended the Central Saint Martins School of Art, receiving a BA and an MA in Fine Art. 

Raqib Shaw studio is located in Peckham, south London, where the artist lives and works. His works have been the subject of numerous solo and group exhibitions. Recent solo shows include "Ballads of East and West" at The Museum of Fine Arts in Houston (2024), "Tales from an Urban Garden" at The Little House, Dries van Noten in Los Angeles (2022), "Reflections Upon the Looking-Glass River" at Pace in Geneva (2020), "Raqib Shaw" at Whitworth Art Gallery in Manchester, and many more. 

Raqib Shaw's Art for Sale

Raqib Shaw, known for his prolific output, currently has numerous works available for sale. His prints and paintings are showcased across various auction houses and platforms.

Over the years, Raqib Shaw's prints and paintings have been featured multiple times at auctions, fetching prices ranging from $91 to more than $5 million, reflecting variations in size and medium. Notably, the artist achieved a record auction price of $5,508,928 in 2007 for "Garden of Earthly Delights III," sold at Sotheby's London.

According to Phillips Auction House, Raqib Shaw's prints for sale start at prices from $500, while Raqib Shaw's paintings for sale range in price from approximately $8,000 to $900,000.