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

Ravikumar Kashi’s show We Don’t End At Our Edges bring a layered depth to paper — a material often taken for granted

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.

“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.