Raqib Shaw: Paradise Lost

The monumental and meticulously detailed paintings of Raqib Shaw offer fantastical reflections on identity, transformation and the redemptive power of beauty.

Born in Calcutta and raised in Kashmir, Shaw draws on landscapes and memories from his childhood, shaped by political upheaval. After leaving Kashmir, he settled in London, developing a distinctive visual world influenced by Mughal and Persian miniatures, Old Masters, Japanese art, Kashmiri and Urdu poetry, and Hindu and Western mythology.

His unique technique combines enamel paint, intricate golden lines and meticulous details, often enhanced with glittering stones and ornaments, creating a dreamlike and fantastical atmosphere.

Paradise Lost (detail), 2009–25
Raqib Shaw
Collection of the artist