We are nomads, we are dreamers is a solo exhibition of newly commissioned works by Suchitra Mattai that celebrates the migratory oceanic journeys of past, present, and future diasporic communities. Inspired by the Park’s position along the East River, which flows into the vast expanse of the Atlantic Ocean, this exhibition features a series of soft sculptures made from vintage saris collected from women of the South Asian diaspora. The exhibition’s title reflects upon transatlantic migration experiences, including Mattai's ancestors who traveled from India to British Guiana (now Guyana) as indentured laborers in the early twentieth century, as well as the artist’s own personal migrations.

我們是遊牧民族，我們是夢想家是 Suchitra Mattai 的個展，展示了一系列新委託的作品，讚頌過去、現在和未來離散社群的海洋遷徙之旅。此展覽靈感來自東河（East River）沿岸的公園位置，該河流入廣闊的大西洋，展示了一系列由南亞離散社群女性收集的古董紗麗製成的軟雕塑，正如本展標題反映著跨越大西洋的遷徙歷程，包括了 Mattai 的祖先們在二十世紀初作為契約勞工從印度前往英屬蓋亞那（現蓋亞那）的旅程，以及藝術家身份的遷徙經歷。

At the center of the Park, six futuristic pods, reminiscent of continental forms, emerge from the landscape, reflecting the dynamic interplay of the shifting sky and ecology. Draped in vibrantly colored saris, meticulously hand-woven together, these monumental forms transcend static existence, subtly evolving and adapting within their waterfront ecosystem. Here, new living beings and elements like sun, rain, and wind interact with the textiles, enriching the pre-existing lives embedded in the saris, which carry the memories of the women who wore them. These artifacts from the future serve as an ever-evolving testament to the human experience of migration and adaptation—a monument to the journey of becoming. 

在公園的中心，六個象徵未來主義的艙體從景觀中浮現，這些艙體隱喻著陸地的各式形態，反映了不斷變化的天空和周圍的生態環境。這些大型的雕塑覆蓋著由豐富且色彩鮮豔由紗麗手工編織而成的布料，超越了靜態的存在，微妙地在其海濱生態系統中演變和適應。在這裡，新生物和自然元素如陽光、雨水、風與紡織品之間的互動，豐富了紗麗中嵌入的原有生命，這些紗麗承載著曾經穿著它們的女性的記憶。這些來自未來的工藝品作為人類遷徙和生命經驗的不斷演變的見證——成為演變的紀念碑。

▸ Suchitra Mattai, becoming, 2024. Installation of six sculptures: vintage saris, net, and mirror polished stainless steel. Photo by Scott Lynch, courtesy of Socrates Sculpture Park.

Nearby, a series of seven hanging sculptures adorn the grove of trees, reflecting on notions of femininity and fertility. Additionally, at the south entrance of the Park, the Broadway Billboard features a thirty-foot collage by Mattai. Organized in collaboration with Barkha Dance Company, dance performances will activate the exhibition on June 12, July 18, and August 25. For more information, please visit our website. We are nomads, we are dreamers is organized by Socrates Sculpture Park and curated by Kaitlin Garcia-Maestas, Curator & Director of Exhibitions. 

四處那些一系列七件懸掛雕塑裝飾著樹林，反映了女性氣質和生育的概念。此外，在公園的南入口，百老匯廣告牌上展示了 Mattai 創作的三十英尺拼貼畫。與 Barkha 舞蹈公司合作該組織的舞蹈表演分別將在 6月12日、7月18日和 8月25日激活展覽，更多信息請訪問我們的網站。我們是遊牧民族，我們是夢想家由 Socrates 雕塑公園組織單位及本展策展人兼總監 Kaitlin Garcia-Maestas 所策劃。

In this immersive installation, Mattai meticulously hand-weaves thousands of vintage saris into monumental-sized tapestries, each spanning 30 to 40 feet. Crafted through a unique process combining weaving and embroidery techniques passed down from Mattai’s grandmothers, these tapestries aim to reunite South Asian communities that have been dispersed through colonization or other means. Notice the transition between two blended colors in each pod, where one hue seemingly flows into the next as you move from pod to pod. Abstracted topographies emerge within the tapestries, at times resembling blurred brushstrokes, while the sculptural forms appear to have risen from the earth below. These continental shapes echo the dynamic movements of tectonic plates and evoke memories of the glacial deposits Mattai observed during her upbringing in Nova Scotia. The mirrored surfaces reflect clouds, birds, and trees, uniting the sky and earth with the Park’s natural surroundings. With this installation the artist asks, “Why do monuments have to be static? Instead of celebrating those in power, why can’t they celebrate the process of transformation and adaptation inherent in the migrations of individuals and communities?” 

在這個身臨其境的裝置中，Matai 精心手工將數千張復古紗麗編織成巨大的掛毯，每張掛毯跨度為 30 至 40 英尺。這些掛毯採用獨特工藝製作而成，融合了馬泰祖母傳承下來的編織和刺繡技術，旨在讓因殖民或其他方式而分散的南亞社區重新團結起來。請注意每個容器中兩種混合顏色之間的過渡，當您從一個容器移動到另一個容器時，色調似乎會流入下一種顏色。掛毯中出現了抽象的地形，有時類似於模糊的筆觸，而雕塑形式似乎是從地下升起的。這些大陸形狀呼應了構造板塊的動態運動，並喚起了馬泰在新斯科細亞省成長期間觀察到的冰川沉積物的記憶。鏡面反射出雲朵、鳥和樹木，將天空、大地與公園的自然環境融為一體。透過這個裝置，藝術家問：「為什麼紀念碑必須是靜態的？他們為什麼不慶祝當權者，而不慶祝個人和社區遷徙中固有的轉變和適應過程？ 

▸ Suchitra Mattai, phala, 2024. Vintage saris, rope, and chain. Courtesy of the artist and Roberts Projects, Los Angeles.

Mattai’s work reimagines and transforms histories of labor, migration, and colonial exploitation into a rich visual language of material abundance. Here, Mattai adorns the Park’s grove with seven orbs intricately woven and braided with vintage saris, featuring hues of blue and orange. This installation marks a significant expansion of an ongoing series of hanging sculptures of the same name, previously exclusive to indoor gallery settings. By situating these works within the natural environment of the Park, the artist invites them to seamlessly integrate into the flora and fauna of their setting. The title, phala, alludes to various notions of fruit, including femininity and fertility, while also drawing from the Sanskrit term that signifies the “fruit of one’s actions” in Hinduism and Buddhism. Mattai poignantly reflects, “Imagine celebrating the fruit of thousands of years’ worth of women’s domestic labor.”

Mattai 的作品重新構想並轉化了勞動、遷徙和殖民剝削的歷史，形成豐富的物質豐富的視覺語言。在這裡，Mattai 用古董紗麗精心編織和編辮的七個球體裝飾了公園的樹林，呈現出藍色和橙色的色調。這個裝置標誌著同名懸掛雕塑系列的重大擴展，這些雕塑之前僅限於室內畫廊環境。通過將這些作品置於公園的自然環境中，藝術家邀請它們無縫地融入其所在的植物群和動物群。標題 phala 暗示了果實的各種概念，包括女性氣質和生育，同時也來自梵文詞語，在印度教和佛教中意為“因果”。Mattai 深情地反思道：“想像一下慶祝數千年來女性家務勞動的果實。”

May 11 – Aug 25, 2024

SOCRATES SCULPTURE PARK