Mourning, Dove

March 2023, 1.5’x1.5’, Silk, fabric, screenprint, lamp frame, vintage bulb, MX dyes, various natural dyes: Osage, Madder, Indigo, Cutch, Logwood, dried flowers, turmeric.

Mourning, Dove is an experimental artist book that seeks to reach an understanding of my own connection to doves through the historical usage of its symbol.

The symbology of doves has developed since the beginning of time. The bird has been anything from a symbol of the early Mesopotamian Goddess of war & sexuality, Inanna/Istar, to a recurring religious symbol of the Holy Spirit. To me, doves hold an innate nostalgia for childhood visits to my Grandmother’s house, which takes the form of the lampshade.

Apart from the exploration of the symbolism, this project also served as a catalyst to dive into experimentation and research of natural dyes. In my general practice, I have been playing with ways to connect to nature through the use of natural materials and dyes in my projects.