NIGHTIE, 2023

Three cotton nighties - my grandmother's (green), my mother’s (burgundy), and mine (yellow/blue/black)

Nightie' (1) is one woven piece of fabric made from the cotton nighties of my (late) grandmother, my mother, and myself. Through the process of weaving, it hopes to fuse together three different fabrics, three different timelines and three different women. Similarly, 'Nightie' (2) is stitched together, but uses larger pieces of fabric to retain the individuality of each pattern. Whilst ornate sari's, salwar kameez and western dress was worn for visitors, outings and functions, the nightie was changed into immediately once within the private setting of our homes and reserved for those with close familial ties. Nighties are usually made of cotton, easy to wash and dry in the coastal regions of India and have a a boxy unflattering shape made for comfort. I have memories of watching the women in my family float around the home cooking, cleaning, caring and homemaking. The fabric is imbedded with smell, sound and the movement of our homes. Not particularly made for Naarm (Melbourne) wether, my mum continues to wear this around the home, and so do I.