Suchitra Mattai Guyana, b. 1973
the flame turned blue, 2022
Vintage saris, jute, fabric, and boas
60 x 42 in
152.4 x 106.7 cm
152.4 x 106.7 cm
8688
Further images
In this woven sculpture by Suchitra Mattai, a plume of colored smoke seemingly rises up through a sea blue field. The smoke appears to emanate from a creeping edge of...
In this woven sculpture by Suchitra Mattai, a plume of colored smoke seemingly rises up through a sea blue field. The smoke appears to emanate from a creeping edge of golden tassels and jute strands, evoking a flame steadily devouring the tapestry of vintage saris from the bottom up. Mattai often uses the color blue to allude to the salt water migration of her ancestors from India to the Caribbean during an age of colonial indentured servitude. Here, the color alludes also to the drama and power of combustion—the creative, all-consuming energy of a flame burning its hottest.