The Facts
On September 11, 2026, Thaddaeus Ropac published an interview with Raqib Shaw, revealing that the artist will present his first UK solo exhibition since 2015 at Compton Verney in Warwickshire. Titled 'Night Sonnets', the show will feature new works including the large Jacquard tapestry 'The Pragmatic Pessimist' (2024), which depicts a wintry palace and reflects on environmental destruction. The exhibition builds on Shaw's 30-metre-wide autobiographical painting 'Paradise Lost', currently on view at the Art Institute of Chicago across 21 panels. The interview, conducted by Lucrezia Motta, describes Shaw's Peckham studio as an ornate space filled with mythological sculptures and embroidered upholstery, mirroring the opulence of his art.
The Signal
The exhibition marks a significant return for Shaw to the UK institutional scene after more than a decade, positioning his intricate, hybrid style within a British context. 'Paradise Lost' at the Art Institute of Chicago extends his personal narrative into a broader meditation on identity and beauty amid turmoil, weaving references from Western and Kashmiri thinkers. For collectors, this signals a moment to reassess Shaw's market trajectory, as his first UK solo show in years may drive renewed institutional and private interest in his large-scale, labour-intensive works.
- Artists: Raqib Shaw
- People: Lucrezia Motta
- Galleries: Thaddaeus Ropac
- Museums: Compton Verney, Art Institute of Chicago
- Locations: Peckham, Warwickshire, Chicago
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