Volte Art Projects presented a solo exhibition of Rashid Rana, one of the most prominent artists in South Asia today with his immersive work It Lies Beyond and his monumental sculpture Desperately Seeking Paradise. A seminal and relevant exhibition which runs in conjunction with the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference, (COP28).
Rana challenges our perceptions of scale through the intermingling of both small and large imagery, exploring and revealing patterns and similarities between expanse and the blending of the “micro and macro”. In It Lies Beyond the imposing proportion invites viewers to immerse themselves in the intricate imagery and multifaceted symbolism of an ominous, serene seascape. The interactive experience is enhanced through Augmented Reality that overlays content onto real life environments. Which on closer inspection, reveals heaps of garbage with references to post-renaissance materialist inquiry, the explorations of, the expansion to the other worlds, sea trade, colonization, the Industrial Revolution, consumerism and highlights the tainted waters owing to human waste and pollution marred by the effects of global climate change and natural calamities.
Desperately Seeking Paradise raises questions about how we interpret various points of view, our understanding of scale, and explores the formal concerns of two and three dimensionality in form.
Rashid Rana, It Lies Beyond and Desperately Seeking Paradise Installation View at Volte Art Projects, Dubai
What first appears to be a minimalist stainless steel sculpture, but a shift in angle of vision – it transforms into a panoramic skyline of an imaginary city. Exploring the themes of nostalgia , duality, space-time and displacement – from one angle it mirrors the space around it, yet from another it comprises photographs of skyscrapers. The visual sequence is enhanced by realizing that the images of high-rise buildings have been derived from hundreds of tiny photographs of houses in Lahore, Pakistan. It is here that the micro forms the macro in scale to become the conversation, challenging the viewer to explore further what each image represents.
Together they seamlessly meld diverse elements to create a visual narrative that challenges perceptions and evokes introspection.They draw the viewer in, to consider the imagery for the beauty of its own while contemplating its hidden meaning.
About Rashid Rana:
Rashid Rana, one of the most prominent artists in South Asia today is notable for his pioneering works in new media art from Pakistan, pictorial strategies, and working in dramatically different modes; Rana has exhibited extensively at various galleries and museums globally.
Rana is a recipient of multiple awards including the Game Changer Asia Art Award, International Artist of the Year (by SAVAC Toronto), and Sitara-i-Imtiaz. His works are in various public and private collections including the British Museum, London, Metropolitan Museum, New York, Fukuoka Museum of Art, Japan and Saatchi Collection, London. Rana’s recent design of the Pakistan Pavilion exterior at the World Expo 2020 Dubai received international acclaim.
Primarily known for his iconic art practice, he mediates between artist, curator, educator, and visionary. He is a founding faculty member and currently the Dean of the Mariam Dawood School of Visual Arts and Design at BNU, Lahore, Pakistan.
About Volte Art Projects:
Founded by Tushar Jiwarajka in 2009, Volte Art Projects represents and works on projects with renowned and celebrated international contemporary artists and collectives including: Sheba Chhachhi, Francesco Clemente, Wim Delvoye, Ranbir Kaleka, William Kentridge, Nalini Malani, Humans since 1982, James Turrell, and Based Upon.
Over the past 12 years, it has achieved distinction as one of the most significant art initiatives in the Indian subcontinent. Today, following a move to the UAE, it envisions to become a leading gallery in the Middle East and aims to foster and evoke an experiential and creative milieu within the contemporary art scene, by showing works that often blur the boundaries between art, design, science and technology. The curatorial programme will help introduce and realize large-scale and monumental projects by artists celebrated for their pioneering spirit of innovation, pushing boundaries, and harnessing the latest technologies.
Visit https://volte.art for more information and stay tuned for our interview with Rashid Rana
