Hetain Patel

Hetain works with materials – henna and kanku paste – traditionally used by Hindus in their prayer and marriage ceremonies. He paints his torso with patterns derived from both Hindi (mehndi, the intricate patterns painted on hands and feet) and western cultures, thus questioning cultural identity and ‘sense of self’.

The process of decorating his own body takes several hours, as long as the Hindu marriage ceremony, and was documented by Hetain as a performance in its own right.

Hetain used his time on the residency to explore other patterns which create identity, such as the markings on a leopard – questioning whether it is possible to ‘change one’s spots’. What makes each animal unique can also act as camouflage, integrating the individual in to their surrounds in one context. But the same patterning makes the same individual stand out in another context.

Hetain also ran workshops with local youth, encouraging them to think about what they wear that identifies them. They documented the process, by video and photography, of changing their clothing, exploring how ritual and dress alter one’s perception of oneself, as well as the responses of others.

A Third Place
Hetain previous practice

At the end of the residency, Hetain exhibited all his work, alongside that created with the young people, in the Linear Gallery