On Language

he Insidious Tether

2022

Fabric marker on my mother-in-law’s sari, rocks

This work contains excerpts from the “Manu Smriti” or “Laws of Manu”, an ancient text that codified and justified misogyny, casteism, and patriarchy in Hindu life. Despite being a strong intelligent woman, I saw my mother-in-law struggle with internalized misogyny which I believe is a residual effect of this text. A garment like a sari is loaded with cultural history and personal memory. The act of writing on a garment such as this speaks to how some histories are woven into us and require unraveling. Through this work, I investigate the origins of not only her struggle but countless others.