Film performance
3 minutes 58 seconds, 2022

Kolam is an ancient folk art form that is still practiced daily on the floors of Hindu temples and on the doorsteps of homes by the women of South India. Using rice powder and crushed stones, these dry powders are held in the hand and dropped to the ground by sifting between the thumb and forefinger. It involves drawing a meandering line looped around a grid of dots (pullis) such that three mandatory rules are followed: all line orbits should be closed; all dots are encircled, and no two lines can overlap over a finite length. The designs symbolise ‘welcome’ and invite all things auspicious to enter within.

The Kolam designs, with their twists and turns, reference the endless flow and ultimate unity of life. Their impermanence is a reminder of the transitory nature of the material world and that இதுவும் கடந்து போகும் (this too shall pass).