Meanderings of thread on canvas of relationships

‘Somewhere I Have Never Travelled’, Radhika Surana’s ongoing solo show at the Art Alive Gallery in New Delhi, takes its name from EE Cummings’ evocative poem, ‘Somewhere I have never travelled, gladly beyond’. Radhika’s practice, like the poem, meditates on the complexity of human connection, using natural symbols to evoke the emotional dynamics at play. Instinctive and meditative, her needle travels to unexpected places, tracing the quiet labour involved in sustaining relationships.

This body of work presents recurring evocations of natural motifs in various forms. French knots sprout like lichens, invoking themes of collective support, symbiosis, interdependence, and renewal. The seed stitch, another recurring gesture, serves as a deliberate metaphor for growth and transformation. In certain artworks, slashes and scorches rupture the surface, marking both destruction and the possibility of repair. Through embroidery, Radhika, who graduated in fine arts from Rajasthan University and worked as an apprentice with the Canadian artist Charlie Rapsky, draws parallels between the meandering thread and the ebb and flow of intimacy. Each stitch, knot and tangle becomes a marker of perseverance, reflecting the emotional effort required to nurture connection.

Excerpts from an interview:

How was this show conceived?

Study of relationships forms the core of my work. Small nuances of daily human interactions have always fascinated me. When the proposal for doing a solo show at Art Alive Gallery came to me, I wanted to widen the base of my concept and really explore it in depth to be able to do justice to such a big body of work while creating intrigue among the audience. At that point, I was reading a book, ‘The Hidden Life of Trees’, by Peter Wohlleben, and the similarities between the relationships of trees and humans just struck me. I had previously worked on themes of nature and that helped me hone this concept using the various techniques I had been working on, experimenting with…

How are the works in this collection different from your earlier works?

My earlier works, before 2021, were totally different from what you are seeing in this collection. As I reflect upon it, I now realise that those were more representative as I was still trying out various techniques and trying to find my feet and my language. As I evolved as an artist, and continued trudging along in my creative pursuit, I felt drawn towards embroidery and started experimenting with it on paper over my watercolours. Gradually, the thread took over my work; all the elements, which I had used earlier, slowly crept in with the thread and the fabric. Since 2021, I have been intensely working in this technique.

You make use of techniques like embroidery, indigo vat, dyeing, slashing. How did this material vocabulary evolve in your art practice?

These different techniques evolved very organically in my work. It started with embroidery as I had an inner urge to use thread and needle on my artworks, just to add another dimension to it. I was always drawn towards indigo as, growing up in Jaipur, I was constantly exposed to the rich history of the colour and other crafts. While using indigo in my colour palette, I realised that if I needed my work to grow, I needed to learn about vat and dyeing to add more depth and character to each work. To get the various tones of blue I desired, I needed to have my own vat. Thus, each technique followed the other and slowly became an integral part of my practice.

Your exhibition title references Cummings’ poem. What inspired you to borrow this particular line, and how does it relate to your work?

My work is completely unplanned and spontaneous, at least in the initial phase. Often, I do not know which way the thread will move on the paper or the fabric. This holds very well with the line ‘Somewhere I have never travelled’ from his poem. The abstract nature of the poem, evoking emotional dynamics while using themes from nature, resonated with my practice. Hence, we decided to go with the title.

This body of work seems to explore intimacy, memory and emotional rupture. Are there specific experiences that shaped these pieces?

My art is very personal and therapeutic. The slashing and burning evolved after a friendship break up; making the burn marks and slashing gave a feeling of satisfaction and gradually grew into becoming a part of my practice. The relationships which have developed over the years and the ups and downs in maintaining these relationships have all led to shaping these pieces in a very individual manner.

From conception to completion, could you walk us through your creative process?

Conception to completion is a long process that I thoroughly enjoy. It starts with the base of the artwork. If it is paper, I splash colour droplets, if fabric, I try to layer it with organza or some embroidery. The first layer is always spontaneous. Thereafter, I slowly work at the second layering of the work with cloth, paper, embroidery, machine embroidery — it is more like the artwork is directing me about its requirements and I just have to be patient and listen. Sometimes, I need to give gaps in between work or keep it away for some time or pin it on the board and look at it at intervals to decide if more work is required. It is more like a conversation that happens between each artwork and me. The important part is not to over work on the piece but to let go at the right moment so that the effect is maintained and the work speaks to the audience.

I feel it needs a lot of sensitivity to know when the piece is complete. To go on working is the simplest, but to understand and leave it just at the right moment creates intrigue.

(On view till August 20)