Mahbubur Rahman (b. 1969) is one of the leading contemporary multidisciplinary artists of Bangladesh, working with a range of mediums such as painting, photography, sculpture as well as performances. His works have consistently questioned his post war identity and the fabric of social structure in Bangladesh, which according to Rahman, has been stagnant in its growth for many years. By imposing his own portraiture in his works, he blurs the boundary between his own struggles and the country’s incapability to move forward.

Rahman’s artworks are audibly screaming and confrontational; his spontaneous performances in public places being a testimony to his frustrations. His choice of materials range from cow hides to stainless steel scissors, finding, as he says ‘Beauty in ugly things that represent death or pain or separation’, which directly relate to the themes of partition, separation and religious orthodoxy.

Rahman is one of the most important cultural activists of Bangladesh. Since his Masters in Fine Art from the University of Dhaka, he has chosen mediums like performances and installations that have allowed him to respond spontaneously, often commenting upon the issues that have plagued post Independent Bangladesh, such as its colonial past, its postcolonial identity, migration, social stigmas and political censorship and control. His journey is marked by a significant number of solo exhibitions and projects, showcasing thought-provoking installations and performances across notable art spaces. In 2024, they presented Temples of Democracy at Bikaner House in New Delhi, curated by Blueprint12, following Quarantine at Bengal Shilpalay, Dhaka, in 2023. Earlier, they exhibited Bridging The Gap at Chows Restaurant in Dhaka in 2019, a project supported by the World Food Program, and Sounds from Nowhere in New Delhi in 2018, curated by Amit Jain. Other prominent solo exhibitions include Dust to Dust at Bengal Art Lounge, Dhaka, in 2015, and projects at the Dhaka Art Summit, India Art Fair, and Alliance Française.

In collaboration with artist Tayeba Begum Lipi, the duo has created notable works like Faces of Intimate Strangers at the Modern Art Museum in Shanghai in 2018, and Artist as Activist at the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum in the USA in 2016. Their past collaborations include exhibitions at Saitama City North Plaza Gallery, Japan, and Gallery Akar Prakar in Kolkata, as well as performance projects in Finland.

Group exhibitions also highlight the artist's dynamic career, with recent appearances in major events such as Centraal Museum Utrecht and the Diriyah Biennale in Riyadh in 2024, as part of Britto Arts Trust. In 2023, they exhibited at Kunsthaus Zürich and Serendipity Arts Festival in Goa, as well as at documenta fifteen and the Jakarta Biennale. The artist has also been featured in prestigious past exhibitions like the 54th Venice Biennale in 2011, the Asian Art Biennale, Dhaka Art Summit, Jaipur Sculpture Park, Kathmandu Triennale, and Gwangju Biennale, establishing their presence as a powerful voice in the global art scene. Rahman is also a co-founder of Britto Arts Trust (2002), which is Bangladesh’s first artist-run alternative arts platform with an aim to encourage international collaborations and residencies, host exhibitions and lead alternative arts practices in Bangladesh. 

He lives and works in Dhaka, Bangladesh.