A View From the Easel
“My studio is presently portable, modular, and itinerant.”
Welcome to the 353rd installment of A View From the Easel, a series in which artists reflect on their workspace. This week, Rujuta Rao carries a foldable studio wherever she goes, a poetic embrace of her life between continents and mediums.
Want to take part? Check out our submission guidelines and share a bit about your studio with us through this form! All mediums and workspaces are welcome, including your home studio.
Rujuta Rao, New York City
How long have you been working in this space?
I've had this itinerant studio since January. I usually set it up in public spaces in New York City.
Describe an average day in your studio.
I tend to work on multiple projects in a circular manner, moving from one to another, working incrementally on each until I feel I've worked on them enough. I learned as a child that this way of working supports my swiftly moving attention and sustains my interest in each project. I work until 4am every day, and I enjoy talking to my family and friends in India while I work late. That is our time together.
How does the space affect your work?
My studio is presently portable, modular, and itinerant. I carry it around and set it up in public spaces. Each space and the people in it affect my work. The modular parts that compose my studio are also utilized in my performances and working with them in a studio context is a way to practice activating them in performance. The parts alternate between becoming work surfaces, bar-like interfaces to engage with people, and screens that create a sense of privacy in public.
