Hailing from Cape Town and shaped by her experiences as a South Asian woman, Talia Ramkilawan is an emerging artist who uses her artwork to address the trauma of dislocation and displacement. With a focus on the Indian experience, Ramkilawan’s powerful creations disrupt linear narratives and provide a restorative tonic for her community.
Ramkilawan’s artistic journey began as a quest for healing. Returning to Cape Town in 2015, she pursued a major in sculpture at the Michaelis School of Fine Art. Seeking intimacy and connection with her art, she found solace in the process of making. By delving into her South Asian identity and the resulting trauma, Ramkilawan discovered a path towards healing and self-expression.
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A breakthrough moment came when Ramkilawan stumbled upon rug-hooking while researching traditional tapestries on YouTube. Cleverly adapting the technique to her available tools—a crochet needle, wool, and stretched hessian over a wooden frame—she developed a unique medium of her own. By weaving contemporary imagery into her tapestries, Ramkilawan breaks down western dualities and challenges stereotypes associated with her lived experience as a queer Indian woman.
Ramkilawan’s artistic repertoire extends beyond rug-hooking. She utilizes various mediums, including, video, performance, and installation, to visualize the complexity of one’s relationship to trauma. By incorporating mixed media, she creates thought-provoking pieces that intend to shock and subvert societal expectations. Her work is deeply inspired by her own family dynamics and her personal journey with South Asian identity, culture, and trauma.
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As a member of the Kutti Collective, Ramkilawan finds strength and support within a community that shares her experiences. The collective, born out of a mutual feeling of not belonging within the South Asian community in Cape Town, provides a space for representation, empowerment, and creative determination.
