Raqib Shaw: Contemporary Art and Mythology Exhibition at Rudolfinum Gallery Prague

This exhibition showcases the work of Raqib Shaw, presenting pieces from recent years that represent the peak of his artistic output. The exhibition, developed in collaboration with the Manchester Art Gallery, features works rich in bestial energy, erotic undertones, and hybrid creatures, set against decorative backgrounds inspired by Eastern carpets and Persian manuscripts.

Raqib Shaw's work is presented in the Czech Republic for the first time, focusing on pieces from his recent creative period. The exhibition delves into his unique style, characterized by a powerful bestial energy and strong erotic or even sadomasochistic undertones. Shaw populates his scenes with hybrid creatures—part human, part animal—driven by primal instincts. These are set against decorative backgrounds filled with intricate patterns reminiscent of Oriental carpets and the ornamental elements found in 15th-century Persian illuminated manuscripts, to which Shaw often refers thematically, drawing inspiration from Persian, Greek, and Roman mythological stories and fables. The animalistic scenes form a complex synthesis of the suggestive works of Old Masters, such as Hans Holbein the Younger and Hieronymus Bosch, alongside the visual and literary culture of both East and West. Born in Calcutta in 1974 and raised in Kashmir, Raqib Shaw comes from a family of Indian antique and textile dealers, where Hindu, Buddhist, and Christian traditions were openly integrated. He moved to London in 1998 to study fine art at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, completing his MA in Fine Art in 2002. Shaw's extraordinary painting technique, both in its technical execution and its fundamental conceptual approach to its possibilities and use of layered materials, was a significant factor in the decision to exhibit his work in Prague.

Visitors are advised that the last entry to the exhibition is allowed 30 minutes before closing time. The museum offers a flexible ticketing policy where visitors can return to see the exhibition again if they did not have enough time on their initial visit, with admission being voluntary. Specific opening hours are listed as Monday, Thursday, Tuesday–Sunday: CLOSED, which appears to be a temporary closure or an error in the provided text as the exhibition dates are in 2013. General address and contact information are provided for the venue.