The Stolen Dream, 2013
Singapore celebrates its colonial past, but in other former colonies, the past exerts a different shape. For the artist, it takes the shape of the razor blade, a simple disposable object that looms large. The prominent use of blades is rooted in Lipi’s childhood when she was often exposed to the blade in home births.
The blade is deeply personal, yet it also evokes the lived reality of everyday violence. By turning an everyday object like a pram into one of harm, she reminds us of the hidden violence of seemingly normal or harmless systems. The artist references the devastating impact of British colonialism — reducing the once wealthy Bengal to poverty — culminating in the Partition of 1947, a historical rupture and wound.
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Tayeba Begum Lipi (b. 1969, Bangladesh) explores female marginality and the body through paintings, prints, videos, and installations. Using materials like safety pins and razor blades, her works address societal violence and reference childbirth tools in rural Bangladesh.
She holds an MFA in Drawing and Painting from the University of Dhaka (1993) and was awarded the Grand Prize at the 11th Asian Art Biennale Bangladesh (2003).
Lipi’s works have been showcased at the Venice Biennale (2011, 2015), Royal Ontario Museum (2023), and Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum (USA). Her pieces are in collections including the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (New York) and Bengal Foundation (Dhaka).
In 2002, she co-founded Britto Arts Trust, Bangladesh’s first artist-run arts platform. Lipi lives and works in Dhaka.
The blade is deeply personal, yet it also evokes the lived reality of everyday violence. By turning an everyday object like a pram into one of harm, she reminds us of the hidden violence of seemingly normal or harmless systems. The artist references the devastating impact of British colonialism — reducing the once wealthy Bengal to poverty — culminating in the Partition of 1947, a historical rupture and wound.
***
Tayeba Begum Lipi (b. 1969, Bangladesh) explores female marginality and the body through paintings, prints, videos, and installations. Using materials like safety pins and razor blades, her works address societal violence and reference childbirth tools in rural Bangladesh.
She holds an MFA in Drawing and Painting from the University of Dhaka (1993) and was awarded the Grand Prize at the 11th Asian Art Biennale Bangladesh (2003).
Lipi’s works have been showcased at the Venice Biennale (2011, 2015), Royal Ontario Museum (2023), and Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum (USA). Her pieces are in collections including the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (New York) and Bengal Foundation (Dhaka).
In 2002, she co-founded Britto Arts Trust, Bangladesh’s first artist-run arts platform. Lipi lives and works in Dhaka.
Artist:
Tayeba Begum Lipi
Stainless Steel Razor Blades
27.5 x 20 x 37 in (69.9 x 50.8 x 94 cm)
Collection of Priya Rath
Tayeba Begum Lipi
Stainless Steel Razor Blades
27.5 x 20 x 37 in (69.9 x 50.8 x 94 cm)
Collection of Priya Rath