RANA BEGUM

ARTIST

‘I applied to do my MA at the Slade because I wanted to be taught by Tess Jaray. The way she creates a tension between colour and geometry had really resonated with me – it still does. She had retired by the time I got there in 2002, but you can request artists to come and give tutorials, so I asked for Tess. After graduating, I worked in her studio; she was so generous – we used to sit and chat for hours. I came across Recollection when I was digitally archiving her portfolio. I love its rhythm and energy, and am very inspired by the chink in the lines: it holds the viewer’s

attention, which was exactly what I had been trying to find ways of doing in my early work.’ Rana Begum’s work is on show until 26 October as part of a group exhibition, ‘The Interaction of Colour’,

at the Cristea Roberts Gallery (www.cristearoberts.com).