Fold / Unfold
I’ve been told by my grandparents that for as long as they remember, they have seen wheat flour and coarsely grounded wheat being used in our family. Considering that it is a staple in my native place and having grown up on having this carbohydrate as an every day preparation, I chose to work closely with the same.
“Cooking is love made visible”- cooking is not just an act of preparing food, but it is an act of providing the body with nourishment made richer by love and intentions set by the preparer. Food is filled with unseen energies called chi (Chinese word) or prana (Sanskrit word), therefore it is important to prepare meals with loving energies and in a calming environment.
The initial idea draws a metaphorical connection from the vast spread harvest of the crop across almost all continents, transcending to all classes, therefore being easily accessible and affordable without any bias, to its properties of when it takes the form of a dough. The malleability and the flexibility of the dough makes it the most versatile form of ingredient, not just in the dough form but also when its finely sewed or when it is coarsely ground.
In this project I worked closely with dough and the process of kneading it mindfully. Making dough for me is a definite mindful practice as there is a shift in my awareness. Even with the most mundane moments, letting yourself go, loosing yourself in the tiny miracles that surround you, and surrendering to the present is the basis of bringing tenderness to the process. Letting the hands dance, and making a space for elements to sing through you.
