Bhopal

Born in 1969, Rahim Mirza completed his art education at Bharat Bhavan in Bhopal, where he studied printmaking. Mirza’s current body of work however, is largely made up of acrylics on canvas.

The leaf occupies a central motif in much of his work, representing, perhaps, a multiplicity of emotions; while the appearance of the first leaf signifies Spring and renewal, the shedding of the brown leaves in Autumn heralds the onset of winter. It is these subtleties and the complexity of the simple motif that intrigue the artist.

While Mirza focuses on the leaf, he chooses to remove it from its natural environment. Thus while the leaf is a prominent symbol in his work, there generally is no sign of a tree or any context beyond its form. In its multiplicity, the artist creates rhythm and meaning that is far beyond its reach.

Mirza had his first solo exhibition at Crimson Art Gallery, Mumbai, in 2000. This was followed by others at Archer Art Gallery, Ahmedabad, in 2001; and Diara art Gallery in 2002. His work has also been a part of group shows like ‘Collective Spaces’ at M.E.C. Art Gallery, New Delhi, in 2006; ‘Anadi’ at the Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi, in 2000; and ‘Vibgyor’ at the Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi, also in 2000. Mirza has also participated in ‘Samvet’, the Madhya Pradesh exhibition at the Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi, in 1999; the Tokyo International Print Triennial in 1998; the 8th All India Art Exhibition, Lucknow, in 1997; and Exposition-96 at the Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi, in 1996.