Maanarak of Grey is the artistic alias of Radinka Ustasia (1991, Kralendijk Bonaire) a Caribbean multidisciplinary artist. From 2010-2023 she lived, studied, and worked in the Netherlands. The highest qualification she obtained there is her Bachelor of Science in International Development Management, with a major in Rural Development and Innovation, at Van Hall Larenstein in Velp. During her study program she minored in Art and Creativity at work, where she started an exploration of combining her competing passions.

Artist statement

“I wander in the grey areas of myself where light meets dark, Yin meets Yang, where they form a team offering me balance in return. What a sight to behold if you could live but for a day inside my mind, my many sides gathered at the round table, conspiring to be the best version of myself.” – A Tale of Her, 2021

Maanarak has always been fascinated by knowing the full story, whether it be her inner or outer world. This fascination and questioning of reality led her to see the good, bad, ugly, and divine in all things. It also made her see that reality, at times, can change if the will is there. In fact, she realizes that the only constant is change.

Exploring duality, multiple perspectives and innovation are therefore at the heart of Maanarak’s work. This exploration manifests itself in a wide variety artistic projects (literary-, visual-, and performance arts), media projects (podcasts), and regional development projects (education, process facilitation, community management, and social enterprises). In all her projects, she loves to incorporate unconventional methods and materials. Her first two books “A Tale of Her”and “Sentéa” are testament of this love, as she combined short stories and illustrations in books geared at an adult audience.