Materials
Nothing lasts forever, so at the end of the project the mandala will be swept up and destroyed.
To follow through with awareness of the complete life of the project the materials the materials used to create the mandala must be able to nourish the earth.
While it may seem wasteful to use food materials such as grains (rice, pulses etc), but once the project is completed the materials will be mixed together and sent to a composting bin in a community garden. As it will be consumed by worms and transformed into earth for a new crop, the materials must not contain any toxic substances.
So colours will also be limited to those that are just as readily consumable.
Read more about this in inspiration…
Final Materials List (13 Feb)
All the materials have been purchased, but if you want to bring something on the day, please do! Just make sure it is edible (fit for human consumption)!
The colours and textures are just amazing! Grouped in quantities.
Yellow: Yellow Split Peas,
5kg, $9.95.
Brigt Orange: Masur Daal - Indian [Red lentils],
5kg, $12.90.
Charcoal, almost black: Urid Whole (Black) [Like lentils or black mung beans?],
2kg, $6.50.
Green: Moong Whole (Green) [Mung beans],
2kg, $5.95.
Green/White: Moong Split [Split Green Mung Beans],
1kg, $3.25.
Deep red: Adzuki,
1kg, $3.95.
Creamy White: Basmati Rice,
1kg, $2.60.
Brownish Red: Red Rice,
1kg, $2.80.
Light red brown: Red Kidney,
0.5kg, $1.95.
Brown and pointy: Kala Channa [Black Chickpease - well dark brown!],
0.5kg, $1.20.
Bright red!:Hot Chilli Powder,
200gm, $2.40.
Black and White: Urid Split [Black again],
500gm, $2.00.
Light Medium Brown: Masur Whole [Brown Lentils],
500gm, $1.60.
THe Mandala will made on a calico surface:
Calico:
7m of 120cm width.
There might be a sunflower, (if the flower is still ok) And there is also a white chocolate skull (cast by a friend) which will be save for the finish, and shared for dessert at the end of the day!
Ideas for materials
Traditional Mandalas often used grains, rice, flour, (and sand but not too much here for the compost bin). As of February 7, it has been decided that the mandala will only be made of edible materials, the colur range is lovely, and then the mandala can be used for cooking up soups!
Rice (white or brown)
Pulses: mung beans for green, split peas for yellow, red lentils for orange)
Beans: red kidney beans for a darker brown red
Colourings: Beetroot? Turmeric?
Materials that are not ideal
Sand (would be great - but not so good for the garden - unless the soil is meant to sandy)
Rocks/stones (only if they can be removed easily at the end.)
Contact me!
Please contribute your ideas, or help make a donation of materials!
tania.ivanka {at} rmit.edu.au
