Threshold Crossings by Varuni Kanagasundaram

As part of her artist-researcher-residency at RMIT PlaceLab Brunswick, Varuni Kanagasundaram visited Shrivings Day Centre for a community art workshop.

Workshop in progress.
Four people in conversation at a workshop table.

The workshop in progress at Shrivings Day Centre, Brunswick.

The workshop was based on Varuni’s creative practice and current PhD research. She uses locally sourced clay, transformed into paint, to draw onto bark. This evokes the ritual and cultural practices of women from South Asia, who decorate the thresholds of their home each day. Traditionally, the threshold drawings signify events happening in the household that day.

 

Pots of clay paint and painted bark.

Drawing on bark using locally sourced-clay

During the workshop, Varuni invited people to respond to how they felt about Shrivings as a place and how they were feeling that day. This prompt encouraged many responses about connections to each other, as well as thinking about the importance of home.

 

A group of people outside in the garden by the art work.
An artistic arrangement of painted bark under a tree.
Varuni placing the bark in an arrangement outside under a tree.

Installing the bark drawings outside in the community garden.

Thank you!

Thank you to the Shrivings Day Centre for the opportunity to be part of your community program and to the residents for their enthusiastic and creative participation.

And thank you, Varuni for the leading workshop! We loved learning about your cultural practices and how these can be translated into a creative practice in which we can all participate.