Artist Talk by Basir Mahmood

Artist Talk by Basir Mahmood

Fascinated by the structures of daily life – labor, hierarchy, distribution, and identity – artist Basir Mahmood’s work occupies a space between staged scenes and spontaneous documentation. His conceptual practice, communicated through photography and video, reflects on the social and historical terrain of the ordinary, using photography and video to create poetic sequences characterized by closely observed individuals, objects and rituals. In his talk, the artist will explore the distinctive processes by which he recreates his own visual experiences. This talk coincides with Mahmood’s first exhibition in Lebanon, Eyes Recently Seen, at Letitia Gallery Beirut. Curated by Lauren Wetmore, Eyes Recently Seen opens on Thursday, 6 September with a reception from 6-9PM at Letitia Gallery (Tour de Saroula, Hamra). More information about the exhibition can be found here. 

Basir Mahmood (b. 1985 Lahore, Pakistan) is an artist currently based between Amsterdam and Lahore. Most recently, Mahmood participated in the 10th Berlin Biennale: We Don’t Need Another Hero (Berlin, 2018) and completed the Rijksakademie residency program (Amsterdam, 2016-2017). His work has shown in exhibitions internationally, including Contour Biennale 8 (Mechelen, 2017); The Abraaj Group Art Prize: Syntax and Society (Dubai, 2016); Time of Others at the Museum of Contemporary Art (Tokyo, 2015); Sharjah Biennial 11 (Sharjah, 2013); and The Garden of Eden at Palais de Tokyo (Paris, 2012). Mahmood studied at the Beaconhouse National University (Lahore) and completed a 2011 fellowship at Akademie Schloss Solitude (Stuttgart). 

Image caption: Basir Mahmood, "All divided equally", 2018. Inkjet on photo rag, 150 x 100 cm each (diptych). Courtesy of the artist.