My project uses anthotypes to express the hidden politics of food and the preservation of its cultural significance through the rituals of cooking. Examining the intertwined relationship of India and Britain, the project looks to highlight the culinary exchange initiated by imperial trade systems, in particular the production and distribution of curry powder.

Few colonial lineages are as enduring as the British notion of a curry, which in 2004 solidified its legacy becoming the national dish of the UK. The dissemination of Madras curry powder, a ‘one size fits all’ spice, acted as a gateway to a seismic misrepresentation of a country whose geography leant itself to finely developed local delicacies and a connoisseur population. Curry powder acted as a replacement for the varied local masalas and distinctive eating cultures, contriving a homogenous notion of Indian food, in much the same way that the British rule fabricated a ‘unified’ India.

In attempts to emulate the food of the colony, a weight of identity, memory, tradition, and vivid history were lost. Influenced by the storytelling of traditional Indian art and textiles, my response became an act of restoration for the culinary heritage of India.

Using the turmeric as the basis of the anthotype print expresses the power behind food and more specifically their ingredients and as the turmeric stains, bleaches and creates the impression of an image it performs as a storytelling device. Investigating turmeric as an ingredient, the piece becomes a sensory experience, through its colour, texture, smell and grain. The uncertainty of the anthotype as a printing method, meant the fabric had to have a level of dependence on its conditions in order to achieve a ‘successful’ exposure. The variegation created simply based on how light interacts with each swatch creates a visually striking effect for people to engage with but also makes the image printed onto the textile, faded and even in places untraceable. Part of the experience of viewing the work then becomes about uncovering the image and understanding the message from the elements extracted in each swatch. A spoon, a plate, a pot, a person, each abstracted symbol acting as a clue.