Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran creates fantastical and imaginative sculptures inspired by all sorts of global representations of idols. He’s particularly interested in South Asian forms and imagery, influenced by his Sri Lankan heritage, and you’ve likely seen his artwork on display at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Carriageworks (including at the recent Sydney Contemporary) and incorporated into festivals like Dark Mofo.

His latest exhibition, The Self Portrait and the Masks, is his first solo show in Sydney since 2021. It’s also his first significant body of work since his major overseas showcase Idols of Mud and Water in Glasgow, which was his first international solo exhibition. And it’s also the first time the prolific artist has cast his own face in one of his sculptures. “My face was buried under a pile of alginate,” he tells Broadsheet. “Accusations of narcissism are sure to follow.”

The Self Portrait and the Masks takes over both levels of Sullivan & Strumpf’s Zetland gallery, with new bronze works, paintings, drawings and ambitious ceramics. There are references to costume props, avatars, Sri Lankan Yakka masks and various shapeshifting mythologies.

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As the artist says, art is his whole life (there isn’t room for hobbies), but when he is in town he is “pretty food driven”. Here’s how he likes to spend his time when he’s not making art.

Tell us a bit about yourself.
I live in Chippendale. I have so many interests, but I don’t feel like I have any hobbies. My whole life is art and I’m happy that it consumes me. Although I do love investigative journalism and can become pretty involved in following those trails.

What do you like about exhibiting your art in your home city?
The most exciting thing about showing a large body of work in Sydney is that I get to show my friends, colleagues and immediate peers what I’ve been doing so intensely. My lifestyle (or lack of one?) suddenly makes sense. I’ve been exhibiting all over the place in the last few years, so there is something grounding in exhibiting at “home”.

You’ve cast yourself in one of your sculptures for the first time. Why? Why now?
Yes! We cast my face. I was horizontal on a metal table with my (trusted) friends at Mal Wood Foundry in Melbourne. My face was buried under a pile of alginate. We then peeled it off and embedded plaster into it. This created a realistic mask-like impression of my face that was then translated into bronze. Upon reflection, it’s become clear that self-portraiture as both a genre and gesture has been a core interest [for me] artistically and culturally. Accusations of narcissism are sure to follow. But perhaps it’s more existential? Self-exploration could be the only constant in life.

What do you love most about Sydney in general?
I love that Sydney’s identity is undeniably multicultural. There is a real diversity of food, culture and art that emerges from our unique populations that makes it an engaging place to live. Monoculture is boring.

Where do you like to eat in Sydney?
My favourite Sydney restaurant is Ho Jiak in Haymarket. It’s by far my favourite Malaysian place. There is such intensity and generosity in flavour, culture and creativity. I love the vibe there. I try to go with a group so I can order a variety of things. The Wagyu rendang, the KFC curry and the eggplant in coconut milk are my staples there. I usually leave in a food coma.

Do you have a favourite cafe?
Brickfields is my local and I am a regular there. If I’m working from home, I always look forward to running up and getting a crispy sandwich for lunch.

Where do you like to shop?
I’m a sucker for Paddy’s Markets. I’m keen to see the upgrade next year.

Where do you go when you want to impress someone?
I generally take them to my studio. I’m pretty excited to show people what I’m working on, so the behind-the-scenes tour of the guts of my mind is generally my attempt at a strong pull, ha!

Who makes Sydney a better place?
I’m excited to make and experience work with creatives who I admire that also live here. Art doesn’t exist in a social vacuum, so I’m constantly connecting with people about ideas. I believe Kylie Kwong is one of the jewels of our city. I can’t wait to see what she does as an associate with the Powerhouse.

And what’s underrated in Sydney?
Western Sydney as a region is amazing. I feel the marketing and identity of “Sydney” could be distanced from the coast-centric views.

Where do you go to escape the city?
I grew up in western Sydney. If I want to escape the inner city, my favourite place to go is Harris Park. I’m pretty food driven. Indochainese is my new favourite restaurant there. The streets also come alive at night.

Is there an essential book, film or song about Sydney?
This is a hard question. Instead of a book, film or song, I think people should engage deeply with the collections at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. You will encounter multiple histories, multiple time periods, multiple aesthetic registers, multiple perspectives to do with connection to place. Surely that’s what Sydney encapsulates.

The Self Portrait and the Masks is on at Sullivan & Strumpf Zetland from September 12 to October 12.

@ramesh__mario

“My Sydney” is a regular column discovering the places and spaces that captivate and entice Sydney’s well-known residents.