FAMILIAR FRAGRANCES
JASMINE | मोगरा
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There is a growing tendency among humans to crave a connection with nature in urban environments and the experience of interacting with its elements through our senses. Integrating Textiles and fragrance as a medium to create an escape from the complex lifestyles we live in and to allow us to reconnect with nature indoors.
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The sweet familiar fragrance of home, memories and celebration. The Jasmine flower, reminiscent of South India, brings to mind the feeling of home and thoughts of visits to flower markets, of weddings and celebrations, of garlands worn in women’s hair, and of the buds blooming in our gardens. It is one of my favorite scents.
Patterns, symbols and nature have had much association with my work. This piece has been influenced by my South Indian culture, where nature has been an important part of rituals and traditions. It’s inspired by kolam patterns, that are traditional hand drawn floor designs usually made with rice flour that are made to decorate the entrance to one’s home to symbolize prosperity. It is a ritual that is done every morning and at the end of the day, is washed away and replaced with a new design to denote the transient nature of each day. Kolam patterns are often inspired by nature represented through geometry, and at times are also decorated with brightly colored and sweet-smelling flowers. Translating this connection with nature and the symbolic representation of the kolam, with good health and prosperity, my piece looks at embellishing with scent, to conjure a feeling of familiarity and comfort. Playing with transparency, light and pattern to elevate the delicate, feminine, airy aesthetics of jasmine and its memories.
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Dimensions: 36” x 54"
Silk organza, jasmine scented cotton resin and wax, dyed with hibiscus, beetroot, indigo and turmeric