Shopping List

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Bat.Shopping List.24.jpg
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Dublin Core

Title

Shopping List

Subject

LibArt 2024

Description

In February 2022, amidst the onset of the war in Ukraine, my mom and I went shopping: flour, rice, soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, toilet paper, laundry detergent, and other common imported goods from Russia. Later that same spring, my uncle passed away. During the first 49 days after his passing, his soul was held between death and rebirth. Our family observed a mourning period where we read "om mani padme hum," and other mantras daily. As part of mourning, guests were offered tea or candy with each mantra session, I found myself collecting the wrappers. With the confusion and sorrow of my uncle's passing, the mantras served as a guiding light, ensuring a safe journey for his soul to the next life. During this horrible, disorienting time I believe the mantras grounded me in the present moments, unlike the shopping list, which often left me consumed by fears of the future.

Creator

Maral Bat

Date

2024

Rights

Held by creator

Format

Charcoal, ink, colored pencil, candy wrappers on watercolor paper

Tags

Citation

Maral Bat, “Shopping List,” KU Libraries Exhibits, accessed November 21, 2024, https://exhibits.lib.ku.edu/items/show/9189.