I Hate The Feeling of Sheets

During my month-long residency at Jingdezhen Ceramic University in China, I immersed myself in the rich traditions of ceramics to create a series that delves deeply into the theme of intimacy. This body of work reflects on how hands, as a fundamental part of our interactions, play a crucial role in expressing and experiencing intimacy. Whether through the simple act of holding, touching, or conveying emotions, hands are central to our personal connections and communication.

Raised in a biracial Indian household, I have always been attuned to the cultural significance of hands in daily life. In Indian culture, hands are deeply embedded in the intimate rituals of cooking and eating. The process of preparing a meal and sharing it involves a tactile and emotional connection that goes beyond mere nourishment. This personal understanding of hands as both practical tools and symbols of intimacy has profoundly influenced my work.

In this series, I have sculpted ceramic hands and sheets to explore the concept of identity masking. The layers of material symbolize the complexity and often hidden aspects of personal and cultural identity. The cracks and texturization that appear throughout this series were intentional because they highlight the complexities of navigating one’s self identity. By obscuring the sculpted hands, I aim to address the challenges and nuances of navigating and expressing a multifaceted identity. This approach reflects my own experience of balancing and reconciling different cultural influences and the ways in which these layers can both conceal and reveal aspects of who we are.

Through this work, I seek to provoke a deeper reflection on how we relate to and perceive intimacy, both in our personal interactions and in the broader context of our identities. The hands, though partially hidden, remain a powerful metaphor for the underlying connections that define our relationships and self-perception.