Olympe Ramakrishna
Olympe Ramakrishna | |
|---|---|
 in 2026 | |
| Born | 2 February 1986 Lisieux, France |
| Occupation | Visual artist |
| Website | www |
Olympe Thomas-Lamotte Ramakrishna (born 2 February 1986) is a visual artist based between Normandy, France, and Bangalore, India. Her work focuses on representations of femininity,[1] combining painting, textile art, and embroidery, and drawing on both European and Indian artistic traditions.[2] Her practice includes a focus on the role of women in history.[3]
Early life and education
Olympe Thomas-Lamotte Ramakrishna was born on 2 February 1986 in Lisieux, Normandy. She trained in life drawing and anatomy at the École des Beaux-Arts de Paris, the Académie de la Grande Chaumière, and the Atelier Artmedium, and later continued her artistic practice in London at the Battersea Arts Centre.[4]
Artistic practice
Ramakrishna's artistic influences range from the Flemish Primitives, Ingres, Gauguin, Pierre-Joseph Redoute, as well as Mughal paintings, Company paintings, Raja Ravi Varma and Amrita Sher Gil.[4]
Many of her exhibited pieces have been portraits of Indian contemporary women, such as her 2023 installation, Women of Bangalore (or Women of Urban India).[5]
Her work is often described as symbolic, particularly through her use of the sari and visual references that blend European and Indian traditions.[2] She also explores the fluidity, transparency and movement of textile materials.[6][7] Combining these interests, Ramakrishna transforms her oil paintings into large-scale textile works through digital printing on silk or cotton saris, such as her 2026 piece Voices of the Western Coast representing Kerala women and their generational cultural evolution.[8] [9]
Exhibitions
Her work has been presented in multiple exhibitions across India, including within the Alliance Française network, notably in Delhi,[1] Bangalore,[10] Thiruvananthapuram,[11] Chandigarh,[12] Ahmedabad,[13] Hyderabad.[14]
It was also shown in France at the Church of Vieux Saint-Sauveur de Caen,[15] and at the Château de Fontaine-Henry, in Normandy, during an exhibition dedicated to Mathilde de Flandres.[3]
References
- 1 2 Rai, Annapurna (8 March 2025). "Olympe Ramakrishna's silk portraits: A digital tribute to sensual tradition of saris". The Week. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
- 1 2 Kalra, Vandana (10 March 2025). "Indo-French artist Olympe Ramakrishna draws from European and Indian artistic traditions for her portraits". The Indian Express. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
- 1 2 "Une création inédite honorant Mathilde de Flandre au château de Fontaine-Henry, ce week-end" [A unique creation honoring Matilda of Flanders will be presented at Fontaine-Henry Castle this weekend]. Ouest-France (in French). 19 September 2025. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
- 1 2 Chawla, Noor Anand (6 March 2025). "Faces In the Mirror". OPEN. 4 (11). Retrieved 12 March 2026.
- ↑ Dhanaraj, Ruth (19 October 2023). "Women of Bangalore by Olympe Ramakrishna bridges modernity and tradition". The Hindu. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
- ↑ Banerjee, Mrittika (7 June 2025). "Painted In Silk, Rooted In Reality". Deccan Chronicle. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
- ↑ M.N., Rakshitha (20 February 2019). "Indian saris inspire this French artist". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
- ↑ "Trace the stories of coastal women woven into a Kerala saree by a Franco-Indian artist". Architect and Interiors India. 9 March 2026. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
- ↑ Oommen, Nainu (20 March 2026). "French artist Olympe Ramakrishna's exhibition in Thiruvananthapuram celebrates Malayali women away from home". The Hindu. Retrieved 25 August 2026.
- ↑ Monalisa, Monika (13 October 2023). "Wonder women". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
- ↑ K. B., Parvana (11 March 2026). "Culture tale in a sari". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
- ↑ TNN (23 April 2025). "An evocative series of portraits on modern Indian women". The Times of India. Retrieved 25 August 2026.
- ↑ "DECOUVRIR January-February 2025". Alliance Française Ahmedabad. 20 December 2024. Retrieved 25 August 2026.
- ↑ "Olympe Ramakrishna's silk portraits narrate the evolving stories of urban middle-class women". The Hindu. 12 June 2025. Retrieved 25 August 2026.
- ↑ "À Caen, l'église du Vieux-Saint-Sauveur accueille une exposition dédiée aux femmes indiennes" [In Caen, the Vieux-Saint-Sauveur church is hosting an exhibition dedicated to Indian women]. Ouest-France (in French). 29 December 2023. Retrieved 12 March 2026.