An Invitation

Zameera Moosa
Bachelor of Architectural Design | Griffith University

“An invitation to return to intentionality. A Filtering, through materials, rituals rooted in familiarity, and patterns that reflect the interconnectedness of all things.”

MATERIALS: Clay + cotton wool thread

Artist Statement

This Living Belonging explores the concept of ‘HOME’ as something intangible found in the rituals that anchor us. Home is tied to the meditative rhythm of dhikr and the mindful act of making tea. These rituals bring me back to the memories of places trapped within these actions. They invite a moment to realign and refine intentions. The tactile nature of ‘tasbeeh’ evokes nostalgia, a reminder of the interconnectedness of all things and the need to live with care for the land, for others and for the self.

The process of tea making mirrors this reflection. Cleansing and filtering tea parallels dhikr’s spiritual purification. The Living Belonging, inspired by tactility of beads, functions both as a filter and a call to mindfulness. Its form invites the audience to reflect on their intentions and reconnect with the sentience of all that surrounds us.

Synopsis 

This piece is a reflection on process, on movement, material, and intention. In creating this object, I explored materials intuitively, beginning with seed beads and tamarind, drawn to their connection to land and their traditional use as beads. Through this exploration, I realized I needed to return to the core of my story: What am I trying to say? And do these materials serve that story? The process became one of filtering, not just physically, but conceptually, taking with me what served the expression.

This led me to clay. Clay, like the land, holds memory. It is shaped, reformed, and carried through time. The act of filtering, a central theme in this work, is inherent to clay, it purifies, connects to the earth, and carries weight. In contrast to the lightness of my seed-pulp beads, clay offered the grounded tactility I was searching for. The smoothness and density of the beads became intentional, reinforcing the presence of material and touch. The tamarind’s natural hues found their way into the clay, honouring the process rather than discarding it.

The geometry of the object forms a filter and embodies sacred proportions. Geometric layering creates openings for light, just as dhikr and ritual create openings for reflection. The repetition of beads mirrors the repetition of remembrance, an expansion outward into interconnectedness. The infinite nature of sacred geometry, much like dhikr, invites contemplation of the divine and our place within it.

This object is not just about material; it is about process. A movement back to intentionality, carrying with it the wisdom of tangents explored, lessons learned, and the clarity of knowing what remains.