Teta's Dyes

As Leena was telling Teta a story of someone who hates cooking, Teta interrupted her “is their food yummy?”, “No”, Leena replied. “Ah that is exactly what happens when one doesn’t enjoy cooking! Because the food is nafas!” Nafas in Arabic means breath, it also means soul, soul as made of breath. This poetic statement teta made, is one mentioned often in Arabic culture. It refers to the passion necessary when cooking takes place_where there is no resistance, a pouring of oneself and ones love. What matters is not the recipe, the method, the skill, but rather the commitment to feeling that goes through.

Sumac, a red fruit from a Syrian mountain tree, plays a key role in this series. Sumac, is from a tree that grows in the mountains in Syria about an hour from where Teta lives. The tree has flowers and a vibrant red fruit. According to Teta, obtaining the sumac is a very long and hard journey. First it must be picked, then dried in the sun. Then it is placed inside a fabric, and a kneading process takes place which separates the outer layer from the seed. Then it is strained and ground.

Indeed, Sumac adds a punchy savory flavor to some favorite dishes. But is that really worth the massively lengthy and laborious process of obtaining it? Through Leena’s many conversations with teta on sumac her conclusion was that impetus to add Sumac is completely illogical and totally emotional. It's only about and for love that anyone in their right mind would try to obtain this herb. The love of the loved one.

In this series, Leena dyes canvases with sumac and other herbs like saffron, turmeric, and cinnamon. The drawings come from pieces of land and romantic gardens that Teta has described to Leena in their time spent together and other things that Teta loves.