Invitation
Bio
Artwork
 
 

IAAC Exhibition of Contemporary Indian Art of the Diaspora 2014

 
Amin Rehman
Amin Rehman
Amin Rehman
www.aminrehman.com
  
ARTIST STATEMENT


Through my art practice, I investigate and question themes such as violence, conflict, war and peace to highlight the complexities of a global ideology in the context aggressive world capitalization. Using encaustic, acrylic and neon text, I want their obscuring quality and floating signifiers of text to highlight these hidden and obvious ongoing issues.

“Other Histories” is a series of neon, vinyl, acrylic and encaustic installations based on the current and historical text and relies on my past interest in the power of language and textual expression to alter personal ideologies through language translation. The series “Other Histories” is based on the texts of Jalal ad Din Rumi, the great Turkish philosopher, poet and writer of the 13th century. The installations look into the stance of the Muslim Sufi tradition, where Rumi makes a case for the ability of Islam to find its way between extremism and secularism based on Tawhid, the doctrine of oneness. Rumi was respected by all three major religious sects – Muslims, Christian and Jews - and these texts also encourage conversation and understanding in order to evolve from confrontation to accommodation and from conflict to consensus. The work is suggestive of graphic and informational strategies reused in America Pop Art in the 1960’s.
  
BIO

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITONS:

  • 2014 Other Histories, Thames Art Gallery, Chatham, Ontario, Curated by Carl Lavoy
  • 2013 Final Hours, Alhamra Art Gallery, Lahore, Pakistan. Curated by Tanya Suhail
  • 2012 A is for…, Artcite, Windsor, Ontario
  • 2012 A is for…, McIntosh Gallery, Western University, London, ON. Curated by James Patten
  • 2011 White Wash, Mississauga Art Gallery, Ontario. Curated by Robert Freeman
  • 2010 Loha Toar, VM Gallery, Karachi, Pakistan
  • 2009 Black Holes, Gallery Sarnia, Ontario, Canada. Curated by Naida Kurd
  • 2006 Market Values, South Asian Art Gallery, Burlington, Canada Curated by Kym Pruesse.
  • 1997 Body Expression II, Neilson Park Creative Art Center, Etobicoke, Canada
  • 1997 Tradition: Two Generations, National Art Gallery, Islamabad, Pakistan
  • 1996 Body Expressions, Gallery 306, Toronto, Ontario
  • 1995 Members Wall, A Space Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
  • 1994 Light Within, Idée Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
  • 1992 Inner Reflections,Idée Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
  • 1988 From Images to Images, ICIS Gallery, London, England, U.K.
  • 1987 Images from the Walled City, Alhamra Art Gallery, Lahore, Pakistan

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS:

  • 2014 Hope, Art Gallery of Regina, Saskatchewan. Curated by Holly Fay
  • 2012 Past Perfect, Gallery Zahoor ul Akhlaq, NCA, Lahore, Pakistan. Curated by Quddus Mirza
  • 2012 Thirty-years of Rohtas, National Art Gallery, Islamabad, Pakistan. Curated by Quddus Mirza
  • 2012 Image & Identity, Promenade Gallery, Mississauga, ON. Curated by Ali Adil Khan
  • 2011 Shelf Life, Artcite, Windsor, Ontario.
  • 2011 Make it Work, SOVA Projects, University of Windsor, Ontario. Curated by Amanda Whites
  • 2011 Lost in Remembrance, Windsor Art Gallery, Ontario. Curated by Mandy Salter
  • 2010 Dislocation, Living Art Centre, Mississauga, Ontario. Curated by Asma Arshad Mehmood
  • 2009 Erasing Borders, Queens Museum of Art, New York, U.S.A. Curated by Vijay Kumar
  • 2009 Erasing Borders, The Gallery at Penn College Pennsylvania, Williamsport, PA, USA
  • 2009 That One, A Space Gallery, Toronto, Ontario. Curated by Stephen Fakiyesi
  • 2008 Urban Myths & Modern Fables, DMG Gallery, University of Toronto, Scarborough, ON
  • 2007 Urban Myths & Modern Fables, University of Technology, Sydney, Australia.
  • 2007 Big Stories, Little India, Site-specific art works, Gerrard St. East, Toronto. Curated by Haema Sivnansan
  • 2007 8th Annual Juried Drawing Exhibition, John B. Aird Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
  • 2006 In Your Face, Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, Ontario
  • 2006 Hart House Juried Show, J M Barnicke Gallery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
  • 2006 This is not a Propaganda Zone, (Art + Activism), YYZ Artist’s Outlet, Toronto, Ontario
  • 2005 Contemporary Miniatures and New Art Forms, Commonwealth Games Cultural Festival Exhibition, Melbourne, Australia
  • 2002 Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition, Toronto, Ontario

AWARDS:

  • 2012 Canada Council Travel Grant
  • 2012 Ontario Arts Council Exhibition Grant
  • 2012 Chalmers Professional Development Grant, Ontario Arts Council, Ontario
  • 2012 Mid Career Artists Grant, Ontario Arts Council, Ontario
  • 2010 Mid Career Artist Grant, Toronto Arts Council, Ontario
  • 2009 International Artists Residency Award, Ontario Arts Council, Ontario
  • 2009 Mid Career Artists Grant, Ontario Arts Council, Ontario
  • 2009 Ontario Arts Council Exhibition Grant 2008 Mid Career Artist Grant, Toronto Arts Council, Ontario
  • 2007 Chalmers Fellowship Award, Ontario Arts Council, Ontario
  • 2007 Access and Career Development Grant, Ontario Arts Council
  • 2007 Canada Council Travel Grant 2006 Ontario Arts Council Exhibition Grant
  • 2006 2nd Prize, Hart House Juried Show, J M Barmicke Gallery, University of Toronto, Ontario
  • 2005 Artist of the year award, SAVAC, Toronto, Ontario
  • 2002/03 Honorable Mention – Scarborough Arts Council 17 & 18 Annual Juried Art Exhibitions
  • 1991/93/96 Ontario Arts Council Exhibition Grants
  • 1988 USIA Visitor Internship, The Smithsonian Institutions, WashingtonDC, U.S.A.
  • 1987-88 The British Council Fellowship, U.K.

ELECTED COLLECTIONS:

  • 2013 Alhamra Art Gallery, Lahore, Pakistan
  • 2011 National Art Gallery, Islamabad, Pakistan
  • 2009 National Museum, Lahore, Pakistan
  • 2006 Ontario Art Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
  • 2002 Government House, Lahore, Pakistan
  • 2000 Presidential Palace, Maldev
  • 1988 The British Council, Manchester, U.K.

SELECTED BIOGRAPHY:

  • 2012 Jamelie Hassan Interview with Amin Rehman,“A is for…” exhibition catalog
  • 2011 Palimpsest: A Messy State of Affairs – Ken Giles, “White Wash” exhibition catalog
  • 2007 Nadja Sayej, Getting the real story on Little India, Globe and Mail, Toronto, August 18
  • 2006 Market Values - Flow: Invisible and visible lives, Kym Pruesse, Exhibition Catalog
  • 2006 Micro View of The Macro World, Robert Nelson THE AGE. March 29, Melbourne, Aus
  • 2006 Amin Rehman, Hart House Review 2006, University of Toronto, Canada
  • 2005 Amin Rehman – Artist of the year – Rachel Kalpana James, Kala Arts Quarterly, Toronto, Canada
  • 2004 Creative Insecurity – Tara Marshall, Harbourfront Centre, Toronto, Canada
  • 1997 Lahore Colours –Athar Tahir, Alhamra Books, 1997, Lahore, Pakistan
  • 1988 From Images to Images - A New Look at Power and Glory – Ian Wolfenden, Director, History of Art Department, University of Manchester, England, UK

ART RELATED ACTIVITIES:

  • 2012 External examiner, MFA Previous, National College of Arts, Lahore, Pakistan
  • 2012 Words to Image: discussion on the arts and poetics of the work as materiality, Artcite, Windsor, Ontario 2012 Artist’s talk, McIntosh Gallery, Western University, London, Ontario, March 22
  • 2012 Graduate Studio Visits, Western University, London, Ontario, February 29
  • 2011 Encaustic painting workshop, The Beaconhouse National University, Lahore, Pakistan, November 2-4
  • 2006-07 Member Art Committee, J M Barnicke Gallery, University of Toronto, Ontario,
  • 1994-11 Member, A Space, Toronto, Ontario 2002-05 Executive, Programming, SAVAC, Toronto, Ontario
  • 1992 Feasibility report on a contemporary art gallery of National College of Arts, Lahore, Pakistan
  • 1987 Research work on the 17th century Mughal Miniature Painting collection in the Victoria & Albert Museum, London, U.K.
  • 1983-87 Designed over a hundred art exhibitions including publications, promotional and educational activities for Alhamra Arts Council as Director Visual Arts, Lahore, Pakistan
  • 1982 Coordinated the first Aga Khan Award for Architectural Exhibition held at the NCA

EDUCATION:

  • 2009-11 MFA, University of Windsor, Ontario, Canada
  • 1996 Certificate in Digital Art, Digital Media Studios, Toronto, Canada
  • 1987-88 Diploma in Art Gallery and Museum Studies, History of Art Department, University of Manchester, England, U.K.
  • 1978-82 Diploma in Design, National College of Arts, Lahore, Pakistan
  • 1976-78 Bachelor of Fine Arts, University of Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan  
 
 
 
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