Yoni (4)
Hessian & fabric on canvas mounted on plywood.
I have been collecting fabric offcuts for over 10 years, transforming reclaimed and forgotten materials and assimilating them to take on a new life, reflecting my interest in building a sustainable practice through reuse.
The series Yoni is a hybrid of painting and sculpture of meticulously crafted fabric vulvas. The term 'yoni' finds its roots in Hinduism, symbolizing the goddess Shakti and the divine feminine energy. I am interested in creating a distinct visual language of indian textiles with modern artistic expressions to examine the changing values of women and bring awareness to the challenges that women face in their day-to-day lives when navigating topics that can still be regarded as taboo.
Each fabric used in my artwork holds a unique story, I often collected these offcuts from Indian tailors where women frequently visit to have their traditional Indian suits made. Thus, the very materials employed in my art are imbued with personal narratives and a collective connection to femininity. As I layer each piece of fabric, I think about all the complexities and layers of being a woman, and invite viewers to do the same. Each cut down the middle symbolises a sacred act of celebration and assertion of feminine generative power.
The artworks are designed to be experienced from both sides, and for the viewer to be able to walk around each piece. I have designed a unique bespoke frame highlighting each Yoni's back. The back of the plywood board is painted Black and is a sharp contrast to the front which is painted White. The choice to paint the back Black was to highlight the cutout that frames the fabric at the back and for viewers to experience elements such as colour, volume or texture. The Yoni series can be experienced in many ways depending on how they are installed thus opening the the door to multiple narratives.
* I am only able to provide a limited example of how the works will look once mounted on the plywood as my framer is currently in the process of making my design. They will be completed in December. The plywood will allow the work to hang/attach from the ceiling so people can walk around them.
