What is written on the surface, and hidden under the skin of the earth? Where are you hurting and what would help to ease your pain? By looking into each other’s eyes, touching hands and sharing our tales, can we encourage the repair of our bodies and the hormones they host?

Taey Iohe offers intimate drawing rituals to process the memory of violence. Using an ink made from a plant substance combined with henna, Iohe will inscribe drawings and messages onto peoples hand and palms across the day of the festival.

By holding a small space in the gallery, Iohe invites the audience to sit with her and offer their hands for intimate drawing while sharing a conversation about the day. Can flora and plant derivatives be revitalised through artistic inscription? By allowing our trials and terrors to be written on our bodies in inks from our living environment, what can we discover about interspecies solidarity? 

Iohe will use a mixture of organic henna and Bongseonhwa (touch-me-not balsam) for drawing on the skin. Bongseonhwa is a resilient and common plant in Korea; it was first planted in people’s gardens to ward off evil spirits and disease. The pulp mixture of petals and foliage leaves a warm orange stain on the skin and nails. We can witness the time of enduring, dwelling, repairing, washing away and erasing – the drawing will stay on your skin for a few nights, and the colour and the texture of the stain will slowly disappear.

This performance is part of Taey’s ongoing investigation into unauthorised floods and leaks of bodily fluid, embodied knowledge and social medicine.

This event is free but ticketed. To reserve a place at one of the drawing rituals please use the link.

Photo credit: Tống Khánh Hà @tongkhanhha.