ground as an archive, 2023
Kolams are intricate designs composed of straight lines, curves, and loops, drawn around a pattern of dots. They are drawn with rice flour or chalk every morning at the entrance of each home to welcome visitors and invite blessings, especially in South India. Women draw these designs, and the techniques are passed down through oral tradition. My mother learned from her mother, grandmother, and the women in her community.
ground as an archive is an exploration of Kolams in my present home, New York. By capturing various surfaces throughout the city over a few weeks through dots and patterns, this book is an exercise in learning and re-interpreting this ritual and tradition, and a way to honor my ground.
