The Kalpabrksha is a wish-fulfilling tree in Indian mythology. When we receive a gift before we’ve even wished for it, we sometimes fail to appreciate its value. Trees are one such ready-made gift bestowed upon humans by Nature. Unfortunately, we have often taken this gift for granted. In this project, a tree has been created from threads, and audiences are prompted to interact with the artwork by adding or removing threads from it. Threads, a sewing needle, and scissors are kept in a bowl nearby.

1st iteration at Cultural Storytelling through Art, Winter Arts Festival, City of Casey, Australia.

2nd iteration at ‘Ari(SE), Old Cheese Factory, Berwick.

Observations: People are happy to interact and enjoy the act of passing the thread through the needle and stitching on the cloth. A person remarks that it feels great to do something by hand in these digital times. the very action here is as healing as Nature. People with children are eager to interact to teach the art of stitching to the children. Very few people chose to use the scissors and some chose to stitch new threads in the holes left by removed strands as an act of care and undoing. An Indian family was reminded of the Hindu ritual of tying threads around trees as an act of wishing for something and so for them adding to the tree became an act of adding to the life of the tree.