Tree of Life III (Black) — "But where are you really from?"

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Work Statement / Conceptual Description:

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Tree of Life III (Black) is the latest piece in the ongoing Tree of Life series and explores questions of belonging, identity, and place. The title evokes a persistent question that echoes through experiences of migration and displacement: “But where are you really from?”

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At the heart of this work is a vintage map of London, chosen for its green spaces—symbols of life, continuity, and refuge. These green areas were mapped and formed the basis of a tree motif. Onto this tree, blossom-like stitches were hand-sewn using lace-like threads meticulously cut from old maps of various countries after heat transferred on a cotton fabric, including colonial-era maps of India. The work thus weaves together multiple geographies and histories—both personal and collective.

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The black background marks a new and significant evolution in the series. It represents the liminal, in-between space—between self and the world, light and dark, rootedness and dislocation. Also documents the darkness of the times the world is navigating through..  In this contemplative space, the search for light, coexistence, and oneness unfolds.

This work emerges from a life lived across geographies—from a childhood of constant relocation in India to making a home in London. It reflects the transient, shape-shifting nature of identity and the quiet resilience of cultural memory.

Technical Description:

This piece was created by first mapping the green spaces from a vintage map of London through hand carving/cutting. The selected map was printed on fabric, serving as the foundational layer. Fine lace threads were then hand-cut from printed maps of different countries, including colonial maps, to create a delicate, tree-like structure.

The stitching process was intentionally slow, meditative, and repetitive—evoking traditional craft practices while inviting reflection on time, memory, and labour. The embroidery was done on 100-year-old vintage French linen, whose age matches the age of the map itself, drawing a poetic parallel between material history and contemporary reflection.

 

Series Context:

Tree of Life III is part of an ongoing body of work exploring place, memory, and identity through maps, particularly those of London. Other works in the series include explorations of

the River Thames and the lost rivers of London—natural elements that have quietly witnessed the city's changing identities and its welcoming of outsiders.

This body of work reflects on how cities like London shape, absorb, and evolve with those who arrive—creating a shared yet multifaceted sense of belonging, much like a tree that continues to grow new branches while holding its deep roots.

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