Idris Khan, born on 1st December, in 1978, is a London based multi-talented Contemporary artist, best known for his multi-layered and emotionally charged works ranging from photographs, paintings, drawings, and sculptors. He studied ‘Photography’ at the University of Derby and in 2004, and completed his Masters Degree in Fine Art from the Royal College of Art in London.

The artist utilises various source materials including pages from the Quran, sheet music, and paintings that are digitally layered and altered. Literature, history, music, art, and religion are recurring themes in his works. Through his art, he attempts to re-create something entirely new by layering the material multiple times; constantly investigating memory and the passage of time by using several mediums and thus creating his own visual language.

Khan grew up in a Muslim household, his father would often instruct him to repeat the prayer from the Quran, the influence of this practice is reflected in his work titled 'every... page of the Holy Qur'an' executed in 2004. Another great work of repetition and superimposition by the artist is the 'Beyond the Black' series inspired by the styles of Mark Rothko, Richard Serra, and Ad Reinhardt. Through this series, the artist depicts the power of repetition as a meditative exercise by overlaying his own texts. Other works of Khan's are constructed from layers of musical scores and rubber-stamped one atop the other.

Idris Khan was honoured with the American Architecture Prize for his design of Abu Dhabi’s Wahat Al Karama in 2017. His works were commissioned by The New York Times Magazine cover for their Winter Olympics issue and in 2018, he was commissioned to create the British Museum's first site-specific work. The artist has showcased his works at several solo exhibitions including Milwaukee Art Museum, Whitworth Gallery, University of Manchester, England; the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art, Toronto, Canada; K20, Dusseldorf, Germany; and Gothenburg Konsthall, Sweden. His other works have been featured in various group exhibitions including venues like Hayward Gallery, London, England; The Saatchi Gallery, London, England; Espace Culturel Louis Vuitton, Paris, France; Baibakov Art Projects, Moscow, Russia; the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; and the Helsinki Kunsthalle, Finland, and more.

The artist's talented skill of drawing inspiration from other art forms and artists proves that art truly has no boundaries; an idea can truly change an artist's inner and outer life whilst staying true to their instincts and motivations. His unique technique of layering different materials atop each other while keeping the essence of his imagery clear has brought a new wave to the art scene. His art encourages the viewer to look at our history and culture in an engaging manner that further brings everyone together as a collective group. The artist's works have been admired by the viewers and collectors worldwide. His works are part of several permanent collections including The Saatchi Collection, London; the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York; and the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, Israel; among others. 

Idris Khan continues to work and lives in London, England. For a comprehensive showcase of Idris Khans original paintings, click here and explore his vibrant portfolio.