Artist Ravikumar Kashi's works bring a layered depth to paper

The Hindu

6 days ago

The fragility of paper, the endurance of a word, and the versatility of both. Bengaluru-based artist Ravikumar Kashi brings all of that together and then some, in his exhibition We Don't End At Our Edges.
Currently on display at the Museum of Art and Photography, the exhibits are unlike any you may have encountered before. Delicate and lace-like, the works seem more crocheted together than crafted out of paper pulp. A discerning eye will catch letters of the Kannada alphabet peeking out from the tangled mass of squiggles.
Long lasting fascination
'Ever since I was a student in art school, I have been interested in paper making,' says Ravikumar Kashi, adding that he honed his passion after winning a scholarship at the Glasgow School of Art in 2005.
'There, I was able to study the methodology of paper making in depth. My teacher, Jackie Parry,not only taught me about preparing the pulp, making a sheet and casting, but also the artistic exploration of this medium.'
Ravikumar followed this up with a stint in South Korea in 2009. 'They make paper out of mulberry bark, which is quite different and rather strong.'
Having worked with paper for over 25 years, Ravikumar says his aim was to master pulp painting. 'I spent around five to six years trying to perfect the consistency and viscosity of the medium, but it was quite challenging.'
Then, in June 2023, while aiding a workshop participant, he stumbled on the right formula. While conventional paper making is dependent on a vat and screen, Ravikumar's idea allowed him to squeeze pulp from a piping bag of sorts.
'Consistency is of paramount importance. If it is too watery, you will be unable to lift it off the surface it is created on,' says the artist, whose earlier works were created on a pre-existing base. The works exhibited at We Don't End At Our Edges are free form and free flowing, taken off the worktable much like 'a dosa off a griddle.'
Forging ahead
Thrilled with the possibilities this media opened up, Ravikumar says he began experimenting and exploring with ways to create.
'With the practical aspects taken care of, content that mirrored my work started falling in place. In many of my earlier paintings, I would use text to support the image, sometimes adding layers to the piece. Since Kannada is my mother tongue, it occurred quite organically in my work,' he says.
He recalls how a logo he had worked on — of a window made of alphabets — brought to mind the premise that language is a window through which one looks out at the world and observes it.
Ravikumar began using the pulp to write. 'In my work, the paper or the container becomes the text and the content, shifting from its normal passive white surface,' he says.
He adds that his method of paper making does not involve the use of chemicals, but natural plant or textile fibres which results in a sturdy, long-lasting medium.
Less is more
Elaborating on his work, Ravikumar says his works are not 'text heavy' in a manner of speaking. 'I want it to be seen as a visual aid, a metaphor, through which I can bring in other elements, such as the idea of porosity.'
'We use language to define ourselves; our mother tongue especially, becomes our identity and comfort zone. When somebody looks at these works, I want them to respond to the the delicate nature of paper, its fragility and ephemeral nature.'
The idea, he says, is to bring material and content together, evoking a sensation of wonder in the viewer.
'Visual poetry comes from under definition of the content,' says Ravikumar. He adds, 'One will find references in my work, but they stop at the hint of a suggestion.'
Show and tell
The idea of titling the work We Don't End At Our Edges was to 'emphasise on the idea of porosity — in our bodies, our thoughts and emotions, language and so on, because we all give and take.'
The fluidity of the pieces on display, is testament to Ravikumar's ideology. 'These pieces will look different each time they are put for display, their interpretation varying with the space it is displayed in, as well as the play of light and shadow. Much like in an oral tradition, there is a freedom to change — to add and detract. It is not constant.'
The process of creating is quite slow, says the artist who adds acrylic colour to the pulp before he begins crafting his pieces. However, there are some, such as the showstopper at MAP titled Liminal Membrane made from the Daphne bush in Nepal, and another piece crafted out of cotton rag pulp, which are in their natural hues of beige or white.
The rest of the piece on display at MAP are untitled and have been made with a combination of fibre pulp and pigments.
'In my earlier work, I would try to make the pulp stronger in competition with other material I would be using, but this show highlights the delicate nature of paper,' says the artist who plans to work with natural and organic colours in his upcoming creations.
We Don't End At Our Edges will be on display at the Museum of Art and Photography till June 15.