Ratna Gupta’s creative practice may be seen as physical demonstration/ playing out of the complex and sometimes painful negotiations and resolutions of personal, psycho-emotional contradictions. However, her work does not restrict itself to self-referential indulgence. While the ‘self’ has a strong presence in her work, she rejects direct figurative representation for a more actively conceptual/ sculptural way of rendering the living figure inscribed by all its contradictions and fragilities. She is also interested in undermining the earth-body binary. From here the artist speculates on the ways in which this rift has been further fuelled by our culture of consumption.
The process of extrapolating an element that is still living – is a way to freeze it in time. Ratna’s work reminds viewers that we are surrounded even more by infospheres with a sharp degradation of our biological / natural ecosystems.
When asked to simply describe her work, she wrote down – memories, repetition, time, temporary, change, imprinting, preserving, to contain, succession
After finishing her b.a (2000) from St. Xaviers college, Mumbai, Ratna studied graphic design (2001) at the Weighan and Leigh college, Mumbai. She further went on to do a three year b.a honours (2005) in book arts and crafts at the London college of printing, the London institute, London.
solo exhibitions
2021, This will last and one must not forget, Galerie Felix Frachon, Brussels
2018, Everything is precious, Sakshi Gallery, Mumbai
2017, You will die soon, Felix Frachon Gallery, Brussels
2009, Someday, Gallery Beyond, Mumbai
2007, Metamorphoses retold, Gallery Beyond, Mumbai
group shows and participations
2021, State of mind: between dysphoria and hope, Curated by Sayali Mundye, Sakshi Gallery, Mumbai
2021, Asia Now, Paris with Galerie Felix Frachon, Brussels
2021, In The Light Of, Curated by Gitanjali Dang, Sakshi Gallery, Mumbai
2021, In The Light Of, Curated by Gitanjali Dang, Gallery Ark, Baroda
2020, Chapter 4, Felix Frachon Gallery, Brussels
2020, Breathing Through Shifting Scapes, Curated by Jesal Thaker, Sakshi Gallery, Mumbai
2020, Focus les petites editions, Felix Frachon Gallery, Brussels
2019, Art Brussels, with Felix Frachon Gallery, Brussels
2019, India Art Fair, New Delhi, with Sakshi Gallery, Mumbai
2019, Anthesis, Curated by Girish Shahane, Veda Gallery, Chenai
2018, Chapter 1, curated by Galerie Felix Frachon, Brussels at Mohanjeet, Paris
2018, Art Brussels, with Felix Frachon Gallery, Brussels,
2018, Reimagine India – Here, There, Everywhere, Birmingham MAC, Birmingham
2017, Brussels Gallery Weekend, with Felix Frachon Gallery, Brussels
2015, forgotten, Art Oxygen with Times celebrate Bandra festival, Mumbai
2015, The Porcupine In The Room, Curated by Gitanjali Dang, Delphina Foundation, London
2015, Response to Stimuli, part I, Sakshi Salon, Mumbai
2015, Eat, Pray, Thug, Aicon Gallery, New York
2015, Open 2, residency at HH Art Spaces, Goa
2014, Echo with Anna Mendieta, Khanabadosh and What About Art, Mumbai
2011, Nostalgia, Pride and Fear, Cameleon Art Projects with gallery BMB, Mumbai
2011, India Art Fair, New Delhi, with Gallery Beyond, Mumbai
2009, Art Expo India 2009, showcase of modern & contemporary art, Mumbai, with Gallery Beyond, Mumbai
2009, Uttarayan art camp, Uttarayan Art Centre, Jaspur, Baroda
2009, Meridian art camp with Gallery Beyond, Mumbai
2009, Kalaghoda Art Festival, Mumbai
2008, Looking Back, Gallery Beyond, Mumbai
2008, Asian Contemporary Art Fair, New York, with Gallery Beyond, Mumbai
2008, Potpourri, Gallery Beyond, Mumbai
2007, Outward & Visible Signs of an Inward & Invincible Grace, Alliance Française, Delhi, organized by Gallery Beyond, Mumbai
2007, Art Singapore 2007, the contemporary Asian art fair, Singapore, with Simyo Gallery, Seoul Korea
2005, Sandarbh art camp, site specific installation, Partapur, Rajasthan
2005, Graduating show of the London Institute, group show, London College of Printing, London
ratna lives and works in mumbai
at 04.19pm on 31st aug 2010, ratna setup a blog.
“it started out as one of my many experiments to document each moment of my life. a picture every hour, from the time i woke up; making a written note of where i am, what i’m doing… i can be rather obsessive. slowly and steadily, it all becomes too much to deal with, and then i go through guilt of not doing what i set out to do, not accepting the fact, that in all practicality, it is rather an impossible task that i’ve set out for myself. it becomes staged. instead of ‘documenting’, becoming a part of my routine… documenting becomes ‘the routine’…and then there is little else that i am doing. so, now, without the obsessivness of time, i just take pictures and put them in folders, dated and timed. this also has to do with my need to collect and keep memories. what you will see, is only a tiny part of these folders.
most of my art is self representative, so i guess i’m kind of self obsessed. my website is formalised, displaying finished stories. but that’s not all i do. i play a lot in my studio and i tend not to show all that to others. my four walls and the world i see outside it. i feel it’s about time i did.
i want to show you the small things… that have a big place in my little world.”
