A View From the Easel

This week's installment of A View From the Easel features Rah Naqvi, an artist based in Amsterdam Noord, Netherlands. He has been working in his studio for nearly four years. Rah Naqvi approaches his workspace with a unique perspective, viewing his studio as a garden of creativity. His average day begins with coffee in the studio, where he immerses himself in various forms of audio inspiration.

The anarchist audio library, world radio stations, and books he's currently reading provide a rich tapestry of ideas that fuel his artistic process.

Rah Naqvi does not confine himself to the studio alone. He believes that much of his creative inspiration arises from the world outside, so his workday often extends beyond the four walls of his studio. He frequently works on multiple projects simultaneously, driven by his restless curiosity and aversion to boredom or distraction. This approach allows him to explore different mediums and techniques, each one enhancing the others.

A small but consistent ritual in Rah Naqvi's studio involves jotting down snippets of poetry, words, or phrases that resonate with him from his audio experiences. He etches these reminders onto the wall, creating a visual and tangible record of the things that move him. These scribbles serve as both a source of inspiration and a testament to his ongoing engagement with the world around him.