In Rithika Merchant’s beguiling paintings on paper, cosmological charts intersect with mythological, hybridized creatures, plant species, constellations, and geometries. In "Solar Syncretism" (2021), she conjures an enigmatic ritual enacted by five fantastical creatures set against a starlit sky, entangled in stems and plumes of rainbow clouds. The artist’s clarity of line reflects the precision of her thought.⁠ •⁠ Read more about Artsy Vanguard '22 honoree Rithika Merchant (@rithikamerchant) in Artsy Editorial from Cleo Roberts-Komireddi (@cleo__robertskomireddi) through the link in our bio.⁠ •⁠ #RithikaMerchant, Solar Syncretism, 2021⁠ #RithikaMerchant, Deliverance, 2021⁠ #RithikaMerchant, Wildfire, 2020