Raqib Shaw (born in Calcutta in 1974) is an Indian-born painter and sculptor who has lived in London since the late 1990s. He is known for opulent paintings of imaginary paradises, densely detailed and rich in vibrant colours and surfaces that resemble jewels and enamel. His work recalls old masters such as Holbein and Bosch, and draws on mythology, religion, poetry, art history and decorative traditions from both Eastern and Western cultures.
Shaw spent his formative years in Jammu and Kashmir, where his family worked as merchants. Growing political instability in the region led the family to move to New Delhi in 1992. From 1992 to 1998 he worked in his maternal uncle's business, which covered interior design, architecture and the sale of jewellery, antiques, carpets and textiles, giving him close contact with India's rich craft traditions. A family trip to London in 1993 brought him face to face with the paintings of the National Gallery for the first time, and the experience convinced him to pursue art in England. In 1998 he moved to London to study at Central Saint Martins.
His paintings combine a fantastical world of flora, fauna and hybrid creatures with scenes of erotic hedonism and violence, often featuring screaming mouths and bleeding eyes. The artist has said these images carry satire and irony. His process begins with small drawings on paper, transferred to acetate and projected onto the panel; he then outlines areas with leaded glass liner and fills them with paint, glitter and crystals. His legacy lies in numerous solo exhibitions at major museums and institutions worldwide, and in public collections including Tate Britain and the Met in New York.