Rabiya Choudhry – ‘anywhere in the universe’

Rabiya Choudhry’s new illuminated artworks for three East-End libraries have been created for places which hold significance for the artist. Their design is based on a painting by Choudhry, part of the artist’s ongoing project ‘Lost Lighting’ – a series of lighting artworks for public places intended to “act like a vigil in the dark”.

‘Give light and people will find the way (Ella Baker)’ (2022) is the first Lost Lighting artwork to be realised in public space. Taking shape as illuminated signs, they repurpose Andrew Carnegie’s flaming torch motif; a feature found on many Carnegie library buildings as well as an emblem used in the bookplate for his own private library collection.

Rabiya Choudhry’s artwork can be found at Dennistoun Library from Saturday 28 January. Presentations at Shettleston Library and Glasgow Women’s Library will appear from Saturday 18 February.

Rabiya Choudhry was born in Glasgow in 1982 to Scottish and Pakistani parents. Choudhry studied at Edinburgh College of Art to MA level, graduating in 2006. She lives and works in Edinburgh.

Choudhry’s work explores themes of identity and cultural displacement in contemporary British society with a darkly comedic approach. Her work expresses the complicated coupling of eastern and western cultures in richly vibrant autobiographical portrayals. Recent exhibitions include ‘TESTAMENT’, Goldsmiths CCA, London (2022); ‘ambi’, CCA Glasgow; and ‘Fabric of Society’, Glasgow International (both 2021). Choudhry’s work ‘Dad’ (2018) was acquired by the Gallery of Modern Art, Glasgow in 2020 and is now on permanent display there.