"Rama's Garden" is a delightful home video featuring Rama Reddy, a first-generation Indian immigrant who has embraced her cultural heritage while becoming an integral part of her new community. Shot and edited with a lighthearted touch, the video showcases Rama, originally from a small village in India, wears only traditional Indian saris and attire in Big Flats, NY. Continuing her family's farming legacy, she carefully nurtures seeds of Indian vegetables and generously shares her harvest with neighbors and friends. Rama also lovingly cares for tropical plants belonging to her friends during their extended absences, using their blooms to create garlands for religious ceremonies and adornments for hair ornaments.
Morning rituals: (Flowers for the Goddess) Morning rituals vary across cultures. In this video, I document my mother's (who retired as a contract software engineer for the Homeland security division) morning ritual. As a first-generation immigrant, she cultivates Kanakambaram, also known as the firecracker plant, on her balcony in the US. She carefully collects its flowers and skillfully weaves them into garlands using a unique knotting technique native to southern India, using only thread without needles. These garlands are then used to adorn her goddesses, adding a touch of cultural tradition to her daily routine.
Traditional Garland Making: Experience the art of crafting garlands using fresh flowers and thread in this short video. This needle-free process is a common tradition, skillfully weaving flower garlands used to adorn hair or beautify goddesses.
Portrait of an artist:
This film is currently under development, spotlighting Karen Vogler, a glass artist featured in Satyavani's exhibition exploring the theme of fears and freedom. What makes this artist particularly intriguing is that, despite not identifying herself as a poet or an artist, the portrait painting session inspired her to write poetry. Years after this initial experience, Satyavani revisited Karen to create a film delving into her journey, addressing the profound impact of fears and freedom in the aftermath of the pandemic.