Kawandi is the art of Siddi quilting, a traditional craft practiced by the Siddi women in India, who have maintained their African heritage even after migration. This feels familyiar uses fabric scraps that are handstitched in a counterclockwise pattern from the outside working towards the center. It not only showcases this unique cultural art form but also reflects on community, heritage, and sustainability while highlighting the improvisational form of quilting that is unique to African women who were enslaved in the U.S. As a form of ancestral practice the piece not only alludes to the cultural practice of upcycling materials, but serves as a visual representation of sustainability; connecting separate parts of a larger whole through a circular, endless motion.

I am a Fabric Alchemist, Upcycle Textile Artist, Regenerative Fashion Instructor, and Textile Waste Consultant. My practice is rooted in African-diasporic traditions, and my work transforms discarded natural materials into garments and textile art that center sustainability, waste mitigation, and community healing.

“I’m excited to showcase my pieces at the garden gallery because community garden spaces are where I first started teaching my workshops. It was important to me that the knowledge, and skills in regenerative practices be made accessible to all people and I love that this showcase is all about that.”

IG: @mahdiyyahofficial

http://www.mahdiyyah.co