bodies and souls

Picture of bodies and souls in the UMMA, April 12, 2024, by Anika Goyal.

Lost Narratives and Found Souls

by Anika Goyal

It looked like my first Indian dress that my grandma brought from Sri Lanka, but it was hanging on the wall when I walked into the University of Michigan Museum of Art (UMMA) for a field trip earlier this semester. The bright gold threading contrasting the ruby fabric, intertwined with sparkles from the light-catching delicate beads, caught my eye. The contrast of various saris and salwar kameez, dresses that women in Indo-Caribbean culture wear daily, intricately stitched together, stood out amongst the framed art. It wasn't something I expected to see in a museum. The 2021 tapestry "bodies and souls" by Suchitra Mattai looks like a framed version of the floor of my grandmother's room when picking out a sari. However, it is part of the new exhibit, "A Gathering," located right when you walk into UMMA.

Curator Zamora-Gómez explains "A Gathering" prompts people "to reflect on the present and recent past" and "reimagine the future" (Code). Bodies and souls do precisely that; they are a reflection of the culture of a community, as Mattai's piece is curated from the clothing of "friends and family." Simultaneously, it is a physical gathering of Indian-Guyanan cultural clothing and a symbolic gathering of narrative (Code). I realized many visitors stopped to observe even though that was not the piece they sought to see. In a sense, it gathers visitors, no matter their identity, and prompts them to reflect on what they see and what it represents. When I saw this installation, it prompted me to reflect on my culture and past as they relate to Mattai's. I had never seen a modern form of Southeast Asian art that was showcased; this illustrated the ever-changing future and increased representation of my culture.

My mom is wearing a sari and I am wearing a salwar kameez, January 3, 2015, by Amantha Chandrasena.

Suchitra Mattai in Los Angeles Studio, August 8, 2023, by Heather Rasmussen.

Mattai's work bodies and souls are composed of saris and salwar kameez. Mattai's "weavings and installations address colonialism, transculturalism, and the complexity of gender roles" (Gaitan). Saris are only worn by women, creating a sense of female empowerment and acting as a symbol for most of Indian-influenced culture. The physical symbolism of a weave intertwines; this illustrates the intersection of various cultures, whether Guyana, Indian, or British. Simultaneously, Indian-influenced culture depends on the strength of the community and protests individualistic Western culture. One piece of fabric cannot hold much weight, yet multiple together hold immense weight, symbolizing the strength of community in Indian-Guyana cultures.

The symbolism illustrated by the weave, intersection of identity, and strength rooted in community are directly related to the role of women in Southeast Asian culture. On my eighteenth birthday, my grandmothers, from my Indian and Sri Lankan sides, helped me pick a sari for an upcoming event. The sari represented the intersectionality of Sri Lankan and Indian cultures, and my grandmothers, aunts, and cousins came together in community. This is similar to the gathering of narratives and community through collecting saris in bodies and souls.

My mom, grandma, and myself wearing saris, July 12, 2023, Aditi Goyal.

Mattai's art installation also encapsulates the idea that "the slave and indentured laborers of our colonial past are perhaps the most voiceless of all" (Ismail). This is seen through the rugged sari draping, frayed ends, tattered condition, and broken frame, representing the hardships that indentured servants had to face. Narrative is a "mirror of culture," the narrative from laborers derived from Mattai's installation highlights a part of Southeast Asian culture that is often hidden (Zander 189). Mattai's meticulous arrangement of the dupattas (the shawl part of the sari) helps encapsulate the 112-day-long voyage from India to Guyana to work as servants on plantations ("Celebrating"). The creator says, "we are used to Western hegemonic sense of history that is written down and eclipse(s) everything that is unwritten" ("Suchitra"). Physically, the piece's unique nature and abstract aspect differ from a typical piece in a museum. Figuratively, the narrative and intention behind this piece differ as it not only encapsulates the stories of the voiceless but also encapsulates something that is stigmatized in Southeast Asian culture. Bodies and souls creates a unique Southeast Asian and Guyanan narrative through its structure and fabric. This installation can foster empathy, challenge perspective, and catalyze social change. I had never witnessed a contemporary display of Southeast Asian art, and for the first time, I felt as if a piece of my history was showcased.

Works Cited

“Celebrating 181 Years of Indian Arrival to Guyana.” Guyana Times, 5 May 2015. https://guyanatimesgy.com/celebrarting-181-years-of-indian-arriva.. Accessed 24 Mar. 2024.

Chandrasena, Amanthi. Picture of my mom wearing a sari and I am wearing a salwar kameez. 3, Jan. 2015. Author’s personal collection.

Code, Astrid. “New UMMA exhibit ‘A Gathering’ provides a space to reflect and relax.” The Michigan Daily, 8 Aug. 2023, https://www.michigandaily.com/campus-life/new-umma-exhibit-a-gathering-provides-a-space-to-reflect-and-relax/. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Gaitan, Joel. “Suchitra Mattai, the light we know and the dark we keep.” Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University, 8 June 2023. https://nasher.duke.edu/stories/suchitra-mattai-the-light-we-know/. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Goyal, Aditi. My mom, grandma, and myself at an anniversary party, July 12, 2023. Author’s personal collection.

Goyal, Anika. Close up of fabric in bodies and souls.12 April 2024. Author’s personal collection.

Goyal, Anika. Picture of bodies and souls. 12 April 2024. Author’s personal collection.

Ismail, Shakeelah. “Untangling Diasporic Identities with Suchitra Mattai.” Arts Help, n.d. https://www.artshelp.com/suchitra-mattai/. Accessed 24 March 2024.

Mattai, Suchitra. Bodies and souls. 2021, University of Michigan Museum of Art, Ann Arbor. Fabric (salwar kameez and saris), metallic thread and sequins on vintage frame.

Rasmussen, Heather. Suchitra Mattai in Los Angeles Studio. 8 Aug. 2023. Robert’s Project Collection.

“Suchitra Mattai: Bodies and souls, clothing from my family, friends and community.” A Gathering, University of Michigan Museum of Art, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 2019-2024.

Zander, Mary Jane. “Tell Me a Story: The Power of Narrative in the Practice of Teaching Art.” Studies in Art Education, vol. 48, no. 2, 2007, pp. 189–203. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/25475819. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024

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