Muuga? Grief is a portal; bring your heart, i’ll bring the water

by Karwitha Kirimi

In 2024, Karwitha Kirimi was part of the TALKING OBJECTS residency programme through which the artist created the work "Muuga? Grief is a portal; bring your heart, i’ll bring the water" which was shown within the exhibition "The Cosmologies of Objects" at Villa 102 – KfW Stiftung in Frankfurt.

 

"What happens when we begin to grieve?"

With this question, Karwitha Kirimi introduces a soundscape that was developed as part of the TALKING OBJECTS residency programme. Grief is at the centre of Kirimi's artistic practice and is linked to themes such as colonial and patriarchal violence, the destruction of nature and indigenous cultural production. The image of the ocean - drowning in grief - forms a recurring narrative in their work. For The Cosmologies of Objects, Kirimi creates a portal of mourning. The installation invites visitors to enjoy snacks and listen to the sound of the sea as well as Kirimi's poems. The smell of rosemary and the images of moving bodies of water generate an immersive realm. Kirimi creates an experience that appeals to all the senses and in this way emphasises mourning as a physical sensation. This can be understood as both an aesthetic approach and a socio-critical reaction. After all, the demand for spaces for mourning is also of socio-political relevance. Krimi's work thus raises critical questions about the conditions of mourning: What is mourned? How is mourning done? Who is given space to mourn?

Muuga? Grief is a portal; bring your heart, i’ll bring the water, 2024, Sound & Video Installation by Karwitha Kirimi. Image Credits: Installation view „Talking Objects. The Cosmologies of Objects” at KfW Stiftung, Villa 102, 2024, © KfW Stiftung, Photos: Jens Gerber
Muuga? Grief is a portal; bring your heart, i’ll bring the water, 2024, Sound & Video Installation by Karwitha Kirimi. Image Credits: Installation view „Talking Objects. The Cosmologies of Objects” at KfW Stiftung, Villa 102, 2024, © KfW Stiftung, Photos: Jens Gerber