Suchitra Mattai
with abundance we meet is a new site specific installation by artist Suchitra Mattai. Presented in the rotunda of the museum, it features large, fruit-like sculptures—called phala (Hindi for "fruit")—made from braided and woven vintage saris. Suspended from the ceiling, the phala evoke associations with fertility, wombs, and ancestral spirits, and serve as a reflection on the artist’s South Asian heritage.
These sculptural forms appear to simultaneously rise and fall, suggesting themes of migration, emergence, and disappearance. The saris used in the installation originate from India, the Caribbean (especially Guyana), and the United States, and are often gifted to the artist by friends and family. They are everyday garments, not ceremonial or formal ones, highlighting domestic labor and lived experience.
The monumental scale of the braided forms honors women and craft-based traditions historically associated with domestic life, such as early American braided rug-making. With each strip of fabric, Mattai weaves connections across the South Asian diaspora and beyond, creating a collective tribute to resilience, memory, and shared histories.