Bound (Mauli)
2015 -2016 This piece is an ongoing series of performances and affects. The work takes place in two ways each time it is enacted, the act of tying and the act of remembering.
In each iteration, the invisible is invited to manifest through action that marks an event and instigates memory over time.
Mauli is a cotton red thread tied on the right wrist by Hindus during religious ceremonies to invoke the blessings of the Hindu deities, said to protect a person from diseases, enemies and other dangers as well as bring good fortune. Traditionally tied by priests, Mauli is also used in domestic spaces by Hindus who observe rituals and holidays at home.
My mother began regularly tying mauli to me and my brother when we left home (1998 and 2001). Each time we come home, she says a small prayer and ties a mauli to each of our wrists on the last day of our visit. The thread serves as a blessing, a reminder, and a connection.
Mauli is meant to be worn until it breaks. When a mauli thread falls off one's wrist, it is not be thrown away. Instead it should be placed back into the earth - dirt, water, or any other natural surface.
From 2015 - 2016, I tied mauli thread to selected individuals to celebrate, bless or remember an experience we have shared together. Each time I tie it, I say the following Hindu prayer, called the gayati mantra:
Om Bhuur-Bhuvah Svah
Tat-Savitur-Varennyam |
Bhargo Devasya Dhiimahi
Dhiyo Yo Nah Pracodayaat ||
ACTION ONE
On September 27, 2015, North America witnessed a full eclipse during a blood moon. I traveled to Rockaway Beach in Brooklyn with some friends to watch the event. During the eclipse, I tied a mauli to each person sitting with me (3) with three knots. I asked one person to also tie a mauli on me. This mauli symbolized the collective spirit we shared watching a celestial event together.
ACTION TWO
On December 31st, 2015, I hosted a small new year's eve celebration at my home in Brooklyn. After the stroke of midnight, I tied mauli to each person present (5) with three knots and asked one person to tie a mauli on my wrist as well. This mauli was meant as a blessing for a new year.
ACTION THREE
On January 26th, 2016, I tied mauli to one friend over dinner to welcome them back to New York.
ACTION FOUR
Sunday May 15, 2016 was the last day of the SHIFT artist residency retreat. I travelled to the Catskills in New York for a weekend retreat with my fellow artists in residence and two foundation staff members (9 people total). I tied mauli to each person on Sunday offering the group a closing blessing as a celebration of our time together. I asked one of them to tie mauli to my wrist as well.
ACTION FIVE
Friday July 29 and Saturday July 30. 2016 were the last days of the my visiting artist residency at Elsewhere Museum in Greensboro, North Carolina. On these dates, I tied mauli to the other artists in residence, the staff and the interns (12 people) as a sign of my gratitude and a gesture of warmth for the incredible time we spent together living and making at the museum.