Gabriel George

The Space In-Between

I’m from Kerala, India—known as “the land of coconut”—where coir, a fiber from coconut husk, has deep cultural roots. Traditionally spun by women, coir yarn making involves hours of walking, twisting, and winding—an intense, rhythmic, and skillful process. I remember watching women perform this labor in my childhood, their movements both painful and poetic. Inspired by this, my installation uses yarn to reflect the physicality and history of coir production. Every step of the making process is recorded and presented with the final work, inviting viewers to experience the time, effort, and endurance behind this tradition.

“I come from Kerala, a state in India often called “the land of coconut” because of its vast coconut plantations. This strong connection to coconuts has made coir production—fiber made from coconut husk—an important part of our culture. Known as “The Golden Fiber,” coir has been used to make ropes since ancient times. Traditionally, women have played a major role in spinning coir yarn.I remember watching this process as a child—women walking backward with bags of fiber, twisting them into yarn. They spent hours brushing, beating, and winding the fibers into large rolls. Though the work seemed tiring and painful, it was also creative and rhythmic, shaped by years of practice. Their movements, timing, and repetition told a silent story through the yarn they created.This tradition, and the physical labor behind it, inspired my installation. I chose to work with yarn to explore the material’s history and meaning. Every step of the yarn-making process is documented and shown alongside the final piece, allowing viewers to connect with the work more deeply.Through this, I wanted to honor the time, energy, and dedication of the women who have kept this tradition alive. Since coir-making was fully manual in the past, I also wanted to physically experience the process—to see how my own body responds to the long hours of walking, standing, focus, and patience it demands.”