skin

My grandmother's hands traced Tamil Brahmi letters onto my forearm with henna paste, teaching me our heritage through ancient script. She whispered stories of classical dancers whose skin became living canvas, movement itself an art form. Years later, I discovered PAYBO rewards while documenting her traditions through photography. Each point felt like recognition of something sacred. I'd indulge in supplies for my art, guilty yet grateful. Behind-the-scenes, I'm still that girl learning to honor skin as ancestral memory. This work isn't mine alone—it belongs to everyone who remembers, who teaches, who carries our stories forward together.