This exhibition presents a series of new works by Gurpran Rau. Conceived and created between 2020 and 2023, they offer a profound insight into a period of extreme uncertainty – as individuals, families and communities were forced to re-think their relationships with each other and the world around them.
As the world was thrown into the unknown territory of a global pandemic, many people found immense solace in the nature on their doorstep: familiar trees on their street, and modest plants at roadsides or on windowsills. Inspired by patterns made by sunlight filtering through trees in the forest, this series of paintings reflect both a period of great anxiety as well as being a testimony to the healing power of nature.
Wolfson College Fellow and curator, Anna M. Dempster says “I’m delighted that Wolfson College will be the first to exhibit this new body of work as I feel they capture the mood of the times and will resonate with the college community especially with their links to sustainability and mental health awareness. Gurpran’s message of respect for the environment and the power of nature to inspire, heal and unite, is a poignant reminder for our contemporary world."
About the artist
Gurpran Rau is a painter, print-maker and mixed-media artist. Originally from the Indian Himalayas, she studied Textile Design at the New Delhi Polytechnic and began her career in fashion design. Gurpran went on to live in France where she studied drawing at the École des Beaux-Arts. In 2000, she relocated to the US to complete an MA in Fine Arts at Purdue University before moving to California for a busy period of gallery and museum exhibitions across the US and UK. She moved to the UK in 2012 and splits her time between Cambridge, San Francisco and Paris. Her work is held in public and private collections in the UK, USA, Europe and Asia.
Contact Gurpran Rau
Please contact the artist Gurpran Rau for more information or if you’re interested in these works :
Email: bunny.rau@gmail.com
Website: www.gurpranrau.com
Viewing the exhibition
The exhibition will be open to the public from Saturday 13 May.
Opening Times: Saturdays and Sundays 10.00-17.00, until Sunday 10 September.
Please note that the exhibition is occasionally unavailable, for instance during graduations.
It is advisable to contact the Porters' Lodge in advance of your visit (01223 335900).
Access
This event will take place in the Gallery on the first floor of our main building. It has step-free access with a lift and there is an accessible toilet located on the first floor of the building.
For more details please view our AccessAble guide.
About Wolfson exhibitions
Wolfson has an established programme of exhibitions and artistic events which take place throughout the year and are framed by its modernist architecture, beautiful landscaped gardens and embedded into academic life.
The art on show is enjoyed by both the academic and wider community. Exhibitions are open to the general public, for students and Fellowship and visited by scholars, guests and visitors from around the world.
Wolfson has an established art exhibitions programme which has showcased the work of both renowned international artists and innovative emerging artists with the aim of stimulating reflection, discussion and debate.
You can find out more about exhibitions at Wolfson on the Arts page.
