Roots & Routes
Paper collage
71 X 58 cm
"Roots & Routes" explores the connection between Germany and India through paper collage, a medium that perfectly represents the merging of places and overcoming of geographical separations. Taking elements of native plants and maps from India and Germany, I aim to highlight the differences between the two countries, while creating new connections between them. The layering of the maps and plants symbolises how the boundaries of home intertwine and ultimately disappear.
The Way Back Home
Acrylic on wood, aluminium wire, yarn
98 X 68.5 cm
“The Way Back Home” shows how connected I feel to the two cities I grew up in - Krumpa, Germany and Chennai, India - and yet how far they are from each other. A connection I found is that they are both near water, which is represented by the background of the maps. To create an even deeper connection between the cities, I joined the streets that I lived on with string. The knotted strings represent that although the first cities I ever called home are very different, I feel deeply connected to both. Despite their distance, I feel connected to both cities and will always refer back to them when someone asks me about my home.
Both Sides of Home
Digital Photography
180 X 124 cm
There are many things that make a place feel like home - which is what I aim to find in “Both Sides of Home”. These photographs show my favorite parts of my room, house, and neighbourhood that make Leipzig and Chennai feel like a home to me. The cities blend together, making it feel like a single place. This piece marks the beginning of learning that home is not always one defined place, but that homes overlap and merge. There are similarities in both, reflecting that there are always certain parts of me that transcend physical separation to make a home in any city.
Magnolia
Iron rods, paper, wood, personal items
143 X 110 X 95 cm
When I was born, my family planted a magnolia tree in my childhood home, and ever since, it has been a symbol of home and belonging for me. “Magnolia” represents the emotional connections I have to home, instead of the geographical aspects. All the objects in the suitcase are very special to me, I bring them everywhere I live so I have a piece of home with me wherever I go. With “Magnolia” as my final piece, I want to highlight that home is more than just a place, but also a feeling.
