Talia Ramkilawan

This work has been kindly donated by the artist

Cape Town, Investec Art Fair, 2023

Johannesburg, BKhz, Field of Dreams, 2023

Talia Ramkilawan’s artistic practice is deeply rooted in exploring her South African-Indian identity and culture. Ramkilawan articulates the intricate web of relationships she has with herself and her world through the tangible medium of wool with each painstakingly hand-pulled thread. While physically challenging to work with, her practice provides a meditative space for introspection. Her recent focus on pleasure, leisure, intimacy, vulnerability, and softness in everyday life invites viewers to experience the ways she has embraced joy and self-worth in a world filled with complexity and transformation, often found in moments of peace and stillness. State of Mind (Dear Me) is a candid glimpse into Ramkilawan’s personal world, as reflected by the still-life tableau on her bedside table, shown to be strewn with both mundane and revealing items that speak to the complexities of her current existence. This composition captures a moment of self-realization where the artist confronts the untidiness that had infiltrated her ordinarily organized life. The note, bearing the message "Dear me, I thought it'd be over by now but I've got a while to go. And that's ok. xx," reinforces the idea that this artwork is not about explaining the question of why, but rather, acknowledging that this moment, with all its intricacies, simply exists.