Curatorial Statements
Naqsh Raj’s practice is caused by the deficiencies of the environment that surrounds her. The repetitive expression in her work hints at a longing for predictability, while the grid becomes a framework of order that offers comfort. Within this structure, vertical dashes appear as symbols of strength, an elemental part of her visual language.
Color, in her work, identifies each painting as a singular act, a moment of light in an otherwise dark atmosphere. Yet these are not the bright colors of daylight, but those that flicker in darkness, the “half light” that reveals another dimension of perception. Her work stands as a search for an individual vision shaped simultaneously by the outer world and the inner self.
The paintings embody a tension: carefree, organic brushwork collides with the mechanical application of paint. This strange convergence of painting and printmaking generates a surface alive with texture, where the thickness of paint invites a tactile response. Behind the vertical bars, the noise of expression sometimes strains through, staining the grid with raw, primitive marks that resist containment.
The grid, spreading like a veil, contrasts with these impulses of freedom. Final compositions often take a square like form, pointing to Raj’s innate romance with geometry. She frequently activates the composition by dividing it into two, opening space for a dual approach within the same frame. Essentially, her exploration in a self-imposed structure reveals a deep commitment to her evolving language.
In Half Light, Naqsh Raj invents a personal tool for grounding and connection, balancing order with anarchy, discipline with instinct and darkness with sparks of illumination.
About XVA Gallery
XVA Gallery is one of the leading galleries in the Middle East that specializes in contemporary art from the Arab world, Iran, and the Subcontinent. Exhibitions focus on works by the region’s
foremost artists as well as those emerging onto the scene. The gallery’s artists express their different cultural identities and perspectives while challenging the viewer to drop prejudices and borders. XVA Gallery and XVA Art Hotel are located in Dubai’s heritage district, now called Al Fahidi Historical Neighborhood. XVA founded and organized the Bastakiya Art Fair from 2007-2010 as part of its commitment to raising the profile of contemporary art practice in Dubai. ***