Begum received her Fine Art Degree in painting at the Chelsea College of Art and Design and her MFA in painting from the Slade School of Fine Art, both of London.
Lodged between op-art and minimalism, Begum’s paintings draw an unlikely inspiration from repetitive geometric patterns within Islamic art and architecture. The result is a series of tightly controlled compositions, where impeccably applied colorful hard-edge lines are coated in a thick layer of glossy resin, to create seductively tactile reflective surfaces. Begum’s paintings are an exercise in rhythm and symmetry and much like music, have a spiritual quality to them that embraces the heart and gratifies the eye.
In her recent work, Begum has more fully delved into installation, and has further minimized her palette to sometimes dual or even single color panels. With this uber reductive approach, Begum creates compelling visual language with the tiniest of movements.
