Grounded Gestures

Grounded Gestures explores the connection between the body and the earth through clay and movement, drawing inspiration from Bharatanatyam. It draws on the practice of namaskaram, in which dancers acknowledge the earth goddess, Bhoomi Devi, before dancing. The project transforms gestures from the namaskaram into physical vessels. These vessels form a three-step ritual of holding, pouring, and returning to the earth, inviting reciprocity and connection with the ground.

As I continued looking at hand gestures, I started sketching and thinking through how these could translate into forms. I focused on simple actions like the bending of fingers, interlocking shapes, and the closed form of a fist. The curve of a bent finger could suggest an opening, interlocking fingers could create a sense of holding or support, and a fist could become a contained, grounded shape. Through sketching, I was trying to capture not just the shape of the hand, but the movement and sensation behind it, allowing those gestures to guide how the vessels might be formed and experienced.