Lehmann Maupin is pleased to announce its representation of Bangladeshi-British artist Rana Begum (b. 1977), whose work explores the interplay of light and color while blurring the boundaries between sculpture, painting, and architecture. In June, the gallery will debut a work by Begum at its Art Basel booth, followed by the artist’s first solo exhibition in New York at Lehmann Maupin this September. The announcement follows a significant year for Begum, marked by her acclaimed U.S. museum debut, Reflection, at the SCAD Museum of Art in Savannah, which later traveled to Vero Beach, Florida. Notable forthcoming projects include several large-scale public commissions set to be unveiled this summer, including works at Kew Gardens, Wakehurst and Towner Gallery in Eastbourne, UK and Climate Clock in Oulu Finland.
Over the past two decades, 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.
Begum has exhibited in museums and biennials worldwide and created public art commissions in Europe, Asia, and the United States. Notable museum presentations include Pitzhanger Manor and Gallery in London, Pallant House Gallery in Chichester, Kettle’s Yard in Cambridge, Whitechapel Gallery in London and the Tate St Ives in Cornwall. In 2024 she unveiled a 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.
“Rana’s work expands the narrative of abstraction and minimalism to encompass a more global and diverse perspective. Her practice is situated within a lineage of women artists in our program—including Teresita Fernández, Liza Lou, and Shirazeh Houshiary—who engage with perception, materiality, and light in their work, making this collaboration a natural fit. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to present her first solo exhibition in New York this fall!” –David Maupin, Co-founder of Lehmann Maupin
"I am excited to be joining Lehmann Maupin and a roster of artists whose work I admire. I am hopeful that this new collaboration will create space for my practice to grow." –Rana Begum
Begum is also represented by Kate MacGarry gallery in London.
Media Inquiries
Adriana Elgarresta, Global Director of Communications & Marketing
adriana@lehmannmaupin.com