Living With: Ana Kraš & Devendra Banhart

A look inside the shared New York studio of multidisciplinary artists Ana Kraš and Devendra Banhart. The couple discusses their move to the city, the ritual of their daily commute, and how their distinct creative approaches—from music and drawing to design and photography—inform and inspire one another.

Ana Kraš: I moved to New York because he wanted to move to New York. Because I wanted to move to New York at first.

Devendra Banhart: The ritual of the journey to the studio is very important. It’s a moment for reflection or a meditative moment or even an organizational moment.

Ana Kraš: What I’m most curious about generally is people. Because I don’t actually ever have that moment where I’m aware that I’m inspired.

Devendra Banhart: I’ll lose all perspective on drawing if I’m deeply immersed in it. It’s important to be able to step back, and in that time of stepping back is when you focus on a different discipline.

Ana Kraš: I always imagine, like, picking up a guitar and writing about, like singing about the day. And then I saw him making songs like a little architect, making a structure and just building one thing on top of another. And I really like that.

Devendra Banhart: And the same thing with Ana, you know, she’s coming from this really academic background where art is something that needs to be applied, and the definition of usefulness in art is quite different. My work is not some sort of cathartic, emotional vehicle. I don’t actually turn to art for catharsis. I turn to art for art.