What does it mean to feel at home? For Mohammed Z. Rahman, it has little to do with walls or borders, and everything to do with people, memories and everyday rituals. That idea lies at the heart of Art Now, the latest Tate Britain commission devoted to one of the most compelling emerging voices in British contemporary art. Born in the UK to a Bangladeshi family and trained in social anthropology, Rahman paints domestic interiors, shared meals, relatives, friends and neighbours. At first glance, these scenes appear quietly ordinary. Look closer, however, and they become reflections on migration, belonging, class and queer identity. The home is no longer simply a private space, but a place where intimate lives intersect with broader social histories. For Tate Britain, the artist has created a new body of paintings presented within two pavilion-like structures inspired by traditional Bengali wedding canopies. The exhibition design reinforces the themes of gathering, hospitality and community, turning the visit into an experience that extends beyond the paintings themselves. At a time when migration is often discussed in terms of borders and statistics, Rahman chooses a different language. His work speaks of family, food, shared tables and everyday relationships, suggesting that identity is shaped first and foremost through human connections. It is this quiet, understated approach that gives his paintings their political force without ever sacrificing their intimacy.
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