Manjari Sharma on Myth, Ritual, and the Echoes of Life
In an interview with the Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art, artist Manjari Sharma, celebrated for her photography and multimedia creations centered on ritual, identity, memory, and mythology, shares insights into her artistic journey. Originally hailing from Mumbai and currently residing in Los Angeles, Sharma integrates photography, sound, motion, projection, and collage in her work. She delves into modern mythological narratives, especially focusing on the Hindu goddess Kali, and values both collaboration and solitude. Addressing creative obstacles, she attributes her ability to move past stagnation to music. Influenced by her bicultural background, she reflects on a significant photograph of a vegetable vendor in Bombay. Her art, showcased in prominent publications and collections, seeks to evoke curiosity and contemplation. Christina Watson conducted the interview.
Key facts
- Manjari Sharma is an artist exploring ritual, identity, memory, and mythology through photography, sound, motion, projection, and collage.
- She is a previous contributor to Spiral magazine, with her essay 'Ritual Lens' and photographs appearing in the 'life after' issue, and her artwork of Kali accompanying an article in the 'wrath' issue.
- Sharma is originally from Mumbai and now lives in Los Angeles.
- Her work has been featured in the New York Times, Vice, Los Angeles Times, Huffington Post, CNN, and NPR.
- Her art is in the permanent collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museum of Fine Arts Houston, Carlos Museum, and Birmingham Museum of Art.
- She describes herself as a collaborative artist, inspired by conversations and shared goals.
- Sharma lost her mother and wrote a piece about the experience for Spiral magazine, which led to deeper exploration of Hindu mythology about the afterlife.
- She admires Marina Abramović and is drawn to the sounds of Southeast Asia.
- The interview was conducted by Christina Watson, digital editor at the Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art.
Entities
Artists
- Manjari Sharma
- Marina Abramović
Institutions
- Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art
- Spiral magazine
- Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Museum of Fine Arts Houston
- Carlos Museum
- Birmingham Museum of Art
- New York Times
- Vice
- Los Angeles Times
- Huffington Post
- CNN
- NPR
Locations
- Mumbai
- India
- Los Angeles
- United States
- Bombay