The Coastal Post : Studio Visit with Sahana Ramakrishnan, Making Myth
Sahana Ramakrishnan, Her Body Moves Through Nebulous Time (Only the Gods Know the Trick), 2017
I met Sahana Ramakrishnan in 2017 during her solo show at Field Projects and instantly felt an affinity toward her and her work. From the onset she conveyed a strong sense of commitment to her practice as an artist but there was also a bit of humor and subversion visible in her paintings and her wry wit. Her work is deeply rooted in drawing and she’s not afraid to bring in whatever materials are necessary to realize her work. Colorful beads and gemstones, hair, rope, blood and a variety of fabrics and trim can be found throughout her works on paper.
Sahana just started a series of mixed media scroll drawings that investigate, among other things, our relationship to animals and the natural world. She carefully hand-stitches her paintings on to beautifully handwoven silks from India and fits each end with wood dowels. All of her work is treated with a high quality of craftsmanship and attention to detail. I sat down with her recently to talk about the narratives that appear in her work, her studio process and what’s coming next.