Sharmistha Ray
Works on Paper, 2017-2020
Cosmic Earth is an ongoing series of drawings which adapts modes of automatic writing, sacred geometries and expressive abstraction to build metaphysical landscapes, through which the artist writes herself into the landscape. Each drawing represents a different chapter of the day like a musical raga (“color,” “dye,” “hue”) in Indian Classical Music.
Cosmic Earth No. 1/7 (Chapters of the Day): Raag Bhairav (Daybreak), "Blood-red, let go of my arms and kiss my cheek/Muladhara/Red" ek taal: 4'17
Cosmic Earth No. 1/7 (Chapters of the Day): Raag Bhairav (Daybreak), "Blood-red, let go of my arms and kiss my cheek/Muladhara/Red" ek taal: 4'17
2018
19 x 25 in.
50 hours of automatic writing with colored pens on vellum
Cosmic Earth No. 2/7 (Chapters of the Day): Raag Bhatiyar (Early Morning), "Your eyes are awake/a songbird alights upon my brow/Kamala/Svadhishthana/Orange কমলা" teen taal: 4'11
Cosmic Earth No. 2/7 (Chapters of the Day): Raag Bhatiyar (Early Morning), "Your eyes are awake/a songbird alights upon my brow/Kamala/Svadhishthana/Orange কমলা" teen taal: 4'11
2018
19 x 25 in.
50 hours of automatic writing with colored pens on vellum
Cosmic Earth No. 3/7 (Chapters of the Day): Raag Asaveri (Late Morning), "Your skin as warm as pebbles on the beach/Noon-high sun/Manipura/Yellow-Pink" teen taal: 5'52
Cosmic Earth No. 3/7 (Chapters of the Day): Raag Asaveri (Late Morning), "Your skin as warm as pebbles on the beach/Noon-high sun/Manipura/Yellow-Pink" teen taal: 5'52
2018
19 x 25 in.
50 hours of automatic writing with colored pens on vellum
Cosmic Earth No. 4/7 (Chapters of the Day): Raag Multani (Afternoon), "Your eyes are full of sleep and the Pale Moon. Your smell, like Fresh Strawberries in the Waxing Summer/Anahata/Shimmering Turquoise-Green" ek taal: 3'48
Cosmic Earth No. 4/7 (Chapters of the Day): Raag Multani (Afternoon), "Your eyes are full of sleep and the Pale Moon. Your smell, like Fresh Strawberries in the Waxing Summer/Anahata/Shimmering Turquoise-Green" ek taal: 3'48
2018
19 x 25 in.
50 hours of automatic writing with colored pens on vellum
Cosmic Earth No. 5/7 (Chapters of the Day): Raag Puriya (Sunset), "Enveloped in dusk, your palm, fingertips, a warm brigade of fading light/Raatri-Divaa/Vishuddha/Blue like the ocean নীল" teen taal: 4'32
Cosmic Earth No. 5/7 (Chapters of the Day): Raag Puriya (Sunset), "Enveloped in dusk, your palm, fingertips, a warm brigade of fading light/Raatri-Divaa/Vishuddha/Blue like the ocean নীল" teen taal: 4'32
2018
19 x 25 in.
50 hours of automatic writing with colored pens on vellum
Cosmic Earth No. 6/7 (Chapters of the Day): Raag Yaman (Early Night), "I spend my nights counting the stars/the space between us, a river of moonlight/Ajna-Sahasrara/Blessing-Indigo-Violet-Consciousness" teen taal: 3'39
Cosmic Earth No. 6/7 (Chapters of the Day): Raag Yaman (Early Night), "I spend my nights counting the stars/the space between us, a river of moonlight/Ajna-Sahasrara/Blessing-Indigo-Violet-Consciousness" teen taal: 3'39
2018
19 x 25 in.
50 hours of automatic writing with colored pens on vellum
Cosmic Earth No. 7/7 (Chapters of the Day): Raag Kafi (Midnight), "Lightning flashes, rain lashes, a thunderstorm/Your eyes like hot flashes of coal. The Burnt/Your memory, within me, the last drop/Saṃsāra/The Beloved/Darkness-Bindu" teen taal: 4'36
Cosmic Earth No. 7/7 (Chapters of the Day): Raag Kafi (Midnight), "Lightning flashes, rain lashes, a thunderstorm/Your eyes like hot flashes of coal. The Burnt/Your memory, within me, the last drop/Saṃsāra/The Beloved/Darkness-Bindu" teen taal: 4'36
2018
19 x 25 in.
50 hours of automatic writing with colored pens on vellum
The Night Is Dark and Full of Rainbows
The Night Is Dark and Full of Rainbows
2019
19 x 25 inches
60 hours of automatic writing with colored pens on vellum
Divine Union
Divine Union
2020
14 × 10 1/2 in (framed size)
Automatic writing with colored pens on vellum, sequins, washi tape, Color-aid, markers
Ma মা
Ma মা
2020
14 × 10 1/2 in (framed size)
Automatic writing with colored pens on vellum, sequins, markers
Wheel of Fortune
Wheel of Fortune
2020
14 × 10 1/2 in (framed size)
Automatic writing on archival paper, markers, Color-aid, sequins, playing cards
IAMEYE.MYBROWNEYE
IAMEYE.MYBROWNEYE
2020
14 × 10 1/2 in (framed size)
Automatic writing with colored pens on archival sketchbook paper
night dreams, the sky, fortress in the sun, jaisalmer
night dreams, the sky, fortress in the sun, jaisalmer
2020
14 × 10 1/2 in (framed size)
Automatic writing with colored pens on archival sketchbook paper
Love In the Time of Tantra
Love In the Time of Tantra
2020
14 × 10 1/2 in (framed size)
Automatic writing with colored pens on archival sketchbook paper
everythinghascometopass
everythinghascometopass
2020
14 × 10 1/2 in (framed size)
Automatic writing with colored pens, markers, stickers and washi tape on archival sketchbook paper
Cosmic Earth
Cosmic Earth
2020
14 × 10 1/2 in (framed size)
Automatic writing with colored pens, markers, Dollar Store tape, and stationery stickers on archival sketchbook paper
youpersistinmetothisday
youpersistinmetothisday
2020
14 × 10 1/2 in (framed size)
Automatic writing with colored pens, marker, highlighters on Bristol vellum paper
The eye does not see things but images of things that mean other things [Calvino, 13]
The eye does not see things but images of things that mean other things [Calvino, 13]
2020
14 × 10 1/2 in (framed size)
Colored pens, markers, and highlighters on archival sketchbook
Blindspot #1
Blindspot #1
2018
8 x 10 inches
Automatic writing with colored pens on archival sketchbook paper
Blindspot #2
Blindspot #2
2018
8 x 10 inches
Automatic writing with colored pens on archival sketchbook paper
Blindspot #3
Blindspot #3
2018
8 x 10 inches
Automatic writing with colored pens on archival sketchbook paper
Blindspot #4
Blindspot #4
2018
8 x 10 inches
Automatic writing with colored pens on archival sketchbook paper
Blindspot #5
Blindspot #5
2018
8 x 10 inches
Automatic writing with colored pens on archival sketchbook paper
Blindspot #6
Blindspot #6
2018
8 x 10 inches
Automatic writing with colored pens on archival sketchbook paper
Blindspot #7
Blindspot #7
2018
8 x 10 inches
Automatic writing with colored pens on archival sketchbook paper
Blindspot #22
Blindspot #22
2018
8 x 10 inches
Automatic writing with colored pens on archival sketchbook paper
Blindspot #23
Blindspot #23
2018
8 x 10 inches
Automatic writing with colored pens on archival sketchbook paper
Blindspot #24
Blindspot #24
2018
Automatic writing with colored pens on archival sketchbook paper
8 x 10 inches
Blindspot #25
Blindspot #25
2018
8 x 10 inches
Automatic writing with colored pens on archival sketchbook paper
Blindspot #26
Blindspot #26
2018
8 x 10 inches
Automatic writing with colored pens on archival sketchbook paper
Blindspot #29
Blindspot #29
2018
8 x 10 inches
Automatic writing with colored pens on archival sketchbook paper
Blindspot #34
Blindspot #34
2018
8 x 10 inches
Automatic writing with colored pens on archival sketchbook paper