Rashid Rana was born in Lahore, Pakistan in 1968. He received his Bachelor's degree from the National College of Arts, Lahore, in 1992; and in 1994 received his Master's degree from Massachusetts College of Art, Boston. Although trained as a painter, Rana has recently turned his attention to various genres of new media art, including digital photography, installation, and video. Nevertheless, the artist dislikes being defined only as a painter or photographer. Not fond of hard boundaries, he prefers the liberty to choose for himself.

Rana’s work deals with everyday issues ranging from faith and tradition to urbanization and popular culture. He uses photography and video installations to depict his commentary and parody of both social and political scenarios. In his composite photomontages, for instance, each main image is made up of several thousand smaller photographs of diametrically opposite subjects. There is a moment of sudden withdrawal when the viewer moves closer to the picture and becomes aware of the miniature images that compose the larger one.

Artist and curator Quddus Mirza considers Rana one of the most important figures amongst the new generation of Pakistani artists. His work has been exhibited in Pakistan and abroad. In 2007 Rana exhibited in solo shows at Nature Morte, New Delhi and Shanghai; Chemould Prescott Road and Chatterjee & Lal, Mumbai; and Art + Public, Geneva. His other solo shows include those held at V.M. Gallery, Karachi, 2004; Rohtas Gallery, Islamabad, 2000; and Zahoor ul Akhlaq Gallery, Lahore, 2000.

Rana lives and works in Lahore, where he teaches at Beaconhouse National University.