Raqib Shaw's 'Paradise Lost' is a monumental 100-foot-wide painting displaying 21 intricate sections that narrate his journey through exile and transformation. Originating from political unrest in Kashmir, Shaw experienced cultural displacement that shaped his artistic narrative. Completed in 2015, the painting is divided into four chronological chapters, reflecting his memories from youth to life in exile. It features a progression from serene childhood imagery to more turbulent representations of struggle, culminating in the artist's introspective self-portrait. This work combines personal history with universal themes of loss and identity.
The multi-panel painting spans 21 sections and chronicles a personal and artistic journey shaped by exile, longing, and transformation.
The dislocation from home didn't just define his lived experience-it became the heartbeat of his artistic narrative.
The painting's story unfolds from left to right, starting with a lone figure seated beneath a moonlit sky.
The final piece tells a deeply allegorical story of his life in four chronological chapters, encompassing memories of his youth through his life in exile.
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