The exhibit of the 100 foot wide painting Paradise Lost will be at the Art Institute in Chicago until January 2026. This is the first time all of the 21-panel painting is being displayed together.
The painting (2009-2025) is autobiographical and traces the artists experience from his childhood in Kashmir to his life in London,
It ireflects on many "paradises lost" in a lifetime, such as childhood innocence, creative freedom, and a sense of cultural belonging. I couldn't resist sharing numerous photos so that you can look closely at the details.
The Technique: Shaw's unique artistic style involves using enamel paints, which he applies with needle-fine syringes and a porcupine quill. The work also incorporates glitter and inset rhinestones, giving it a jewel-like and opulent quality.
Raqib Shaw Paradise Lost Raqib Shaw Calcutta, India, born 1974, lives in London Paradise Lost 2003-2005 Acrylic liner, acrylic paint, oil paint, enamel, glitter, and rhinestones on birch wood Collection of the artist Studio love Raqib Shaw's Paradise Lost takes the viewer on an epic and tumultuous journey that represents the very nature and breadth of human existence. The painting unfolds across more than 100 feet, revealing from left to right what the artist calls "my journey from youth to decrepitude and death and beyond," and tracing the traumas and triumphs of his life. Shaw originally conceived of Paradise Lost as an art student and has said he will be working on it for the rest of his life. Shaw spent his childhood in Kashmir, the Himalayan valley known for its ethereal beauty. In 1989 militant-led violence erupted in the region. This led Shaw, then 16, to flee. He has never returned, but the landscape remains fixed in his memory, its allure tinged with pain. Self-portraits and avatars of Shaw appear throughout the work, in the form of animal-headed creatures, as mythological figures, and as expressive faces disguised in the sea, trees, and skies. Throughout the work, he has embedded literary and art historical references drawn from cultures across the East and West. The title Paradise Lost comes from John Milton's 17th-century epic poem and recalls descriptions of Kashmir as paradise on earth. Ultimately, the work represents Shaw's emotional saga of loss and exile and his stoic acceptance of life itself. Generous support for Raqib Shaw: Paradise Lost is provided by Usha and Lakshmi Mittal.
Information provided by Raqib Shaw: Paradise Lost | The Art Institute of Chicago https://share.google/LG14KPeQFPLNCUQAJ All photos are from my family albums. Please do not share my posts outside of Hive
