Performance by Shauna Beharry

Description:

To close her exhibition Ashes to Flowers…the Breathing, Shauna Beharry performed a ritual in Western Front’s backyard, where she had been tending the garden for the past month.

In addition to planting Indigenous species, Beharry introduced nicotiana, jasmine, and other silver-leaved, night-blooming plants in reference to moonlight gardens, such as Mehtab Bagh built opposite the Taj Mahal—one of the most well known garden mausoleums. Historically enjoyed at night for their ability to reflect moonlight, these plants set the stage for her ritual act. Using her hands, Beharry dug into the ground to make a grave. She buried ashes made from saris and fragments from her past performances, before planting flowers on top. The gesture commemorated her mother and grandmother, whose bodies were buried in different places, and celebrated how cultural knowledge is transmitted and transformed through the body.