Untitled XVIII 1981

Nasreen Mohamedi created "Untitled XVIII" during a period marked by significant social and political change in India. Her work emerges in the post-colonial era, where artists were negotiating new forms of expression, distinct from both colonial and traditional Indian art. Mohamedi's abstract style, evident here in the stark interplay of lines and geometric forms, diverges from conventional representations. As a female Muslim artist in a largely patriarchal society, Mohamedi had to navigate the male-dominated art world. She once said, "I need to get away, work in serenity... My work is about silence." In "Untitled XVIII," the starkness of the black and white palette evokes a sense of constraint, but the lines themselves dance across the surface, pushing beyond the visual and emotional limits of the grid. Ultimately, Mohamedi's piece reflects a profound personal journey, one shaped by her identity and historical context, inviting us to contemplate the intersections of self, society, and the search for tranquility.