Date of Award

Spring 6-1-2021

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Fine Arts (MFA)

Department

Textiles

First Advisor

Anais Missakian

Second Advisor

Lisa Scull

Third Advisor

Emma Hogarth

Abstract

I have always been a nostalgic person. I have boxes of old photographs, letters, birthday cards and objects from significant days in my life. I have confetti from different concerts, friendship bracelets and old diaries. While typically not represented by keepsakes, memories of food are some of my strongest. They encompass all five senses, which is perhaps why they are so powerful. Every time I smell a spice or taste something familiar, I am instantly transported to a certain place and time.

As a textile artist, I use materials, textures, imagery, and senses to evoke place and time. This year in particular, I tried to bring a feeling of comfort back to the isolated existence I experienced in Providence in the midst of a global pandemic. Working with spices common in my family’s cooking and incorporating them into a textile allowed me to capture the comfort of scent; just the smell of a spice can trigger fond, powerful memories. Working with the concrete that is so prevalent in the marketplace and feeling its gritty texture at once took me back to the streets of Bangalore. Weaving with Sisal and Manila rope was reminiscent of the coconut trees I could see from my kitchen window. Through my current work, I want to not only comfort myself, but invite others to experience the warmth of my bustling kitchen and all the memories associated with it. These textiles are the materialization of nostalgia through food.

In this thesis book, I write about four thesis works in a variety of styles— narrative, text, instructions and recipe—each exploring different facets of my studio practice, from personal history to process.

Comments

View exhibition online: Anushka Divecha, Dal and Rice

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