The Gift We Receive, The Gift We Return

23 September, 2019
 The Gift We Receive, The Gift We Return

This piece is part of a body of work I created for "Listening to the Land - An Exploration of Connection to Place" - a pop up exhibition my artist friends Sally Hikaka, Hugh Cargill and myself have created in 2019. All our artworks are the result of ongoing questions, discussions and livelong reflections on belonging and what it means to be connected to place.

The Gift We Receive, The Gift We Return

Life is magic - coming out of something, going back to something, it is moment by moment - a gift.

Every moment on the way to this piece has been a special gift. From harvesting the leaves of a harakeke plant I deeply love, making muka, knotting the threads, to crocheting and spinning the fibres into a unique yarn.

None of the fibre is dyed, all the colours were naturally present in slightly damaged leaves. Traditionally these leaves are regarded as less precious due to the possible weakness of the fibres. Nevertheless I consider that red in particular as a special gift.

When I took the yarn off my spinning wheel it felt like I was born to create this. That all life before me has lead to this point in time and space. That this thread goes back to the beginning of the universe. By immersing myself into the fibre heritage of different cultures, I‘ve been given the opportunity to connect with what lies beyond technique. Something that words cannot express. Something that only can be experienced. It has to do with deep appreciation and respect, intimate connection, reciprocity and love.

This special gift will eventually be returned to the land where it comes from.

May we pass on what we have received - with gentleness, love and wonder.

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Hand spun muka (natural colours), kōrari (harakeke flower stalk) Taranaki andesite bowl, Taranaki andesite pebble, soil

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Check out Sally's blog for more about the origin of "Listening to the Land - An Exploration of Connection to Place" http://www.pirihirajames.com/blog/listening-to-the-land-an-exploration-of-connection-to-place

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