Over the past two decades, Rana Begum has developed a distinct visual language rooted in repetition and abstraction. Drawing on the history of geometric abstraction—as well as the practices of artists such as Agnes Martin, Donald Judd, Mary Martin, Sol Lewitt, Jesús Rafael Soto, and Tess Jaray—Begum’s work is informed by both the urban environment and the geometric motifs of traditional Islamic art and architecture. Central to her work is light, which she treats as both subject and medium, allowing her pieces to absorb, reflect, and transform their surroundings in ways that feel both temporal and sensorial. Often using industrial materials and reflective surfaces, Begum creates visually dynamic experiences that shift with the viewer’s perspective and environment. The influence of Islamic art and the spiritual importance of repetition and ritual is also at the heart of Begum’s practice. Begum’s focus on symmetry, rhythm, and pattern evokes a sense of the infinite, creating meditative spaces in which seemingly static works are activated.
Born in Bangladesh in 1977, Begum lives and works in London. In 1999, Begum graduated with a BA in Fine Art from Chelsea College of Art and Design, and in 2002, she earned an MFA in Painting from Slade School of Fine Art. Begum has exhibited in museums and biennials worldwide and created public art commissions in Europe, Asia, and the United States. Notable museum presentations include her participation in Is this Tomorrow at the Whitechapel Gallery in London, as well as her site-specific installation at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, which remains on permanent view. Her work has also been featured in numerous biennials around the world, including the Taipei Biennial in 2026, Desert X in Coachella Valley in 2023, and the 11th Gwangju Biennial in South Korea in 2016, among others.
Her work is held in numerous international public and private collections, including the Museum ofFine Arts, Boston; the Samdani Art Foundation, Bangladesh; The Farjam Foundation, Dubai; the Ashmolean Museum, UK; Sainsbury’s Visual Art Centre, UK; the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, India; and Wanas Konst, Sweden. She was elected a Royal Academician in 2020.