Gelb ist meine Lieblingsfarbe

In my ongoing journey to explore identity and to find a sense of home away from home, I often look back at my grandmother's house for inspiration—a place where I spent much of my life, though it no longer exists.

I drew images of that house, not necessarily as it always was, but as I remember it. Instead of traditional inks or watercolors, I chose to wash these images with turmeric. While my experience with watercolors gave me some confidence in starting this project, the process turned out to be far more complex than I’d imagined. Turmeric, being a pH indicator, behaves quite differently from traditional pigments. Adding baking soda darkens it, while vinegar brightens it, creating a fascinating visual experience that kept me engaged throughout.

Many of my childhood memories in my grandmother’s house are rooted in her kitchen, watching her cook and later trying things myself. Turmeric would inevitably stain my fingertips, leaving me to explain the yellow tinge on my fingers and nails to curious class fellows in school.

Ongoing Project

This project continues as a short animation film, as i work with Rishab Arora.

Photo credits: Malte Taffner