Of Rituals & Rote
— 2016
Of Rituals and Rote, 2016, uses repetition as a motif to examine the realities of human life as manifested through recognizable objects and familiar actions. The work isolates repeated movements and sounds of humans, as well as structural repetitions in the composition of the objects to reveal the different modalities of meditation. While diverse in arrangement and projection, the pieces share materials in their fabrication to further underscore the dynamic relationships between them.
In Gaafow (Camel), a mother sings a song from her early childhood while pounding grain with a friend. The work song with its connected narrative was meant to encourage the performers of the task and at the same reinforce a life lesson. In Equanimity, a devotee performs ablution, a form of prayer itself, as he prepares for a meet with the Real. In Taut, the artist recreates a Somali stool, larger than its original size and built out of three distinct and repeating sizes, each nested within the other— a reference to its repeated uses throughout the day.
Installation shot can be watched here.
