Becoming within Time
What is the Nature of time while I cook and bake with my children for the Jewish high holidays?
Coming together in a virtual space, my classmates and I contemplate the nature of time as we view frozen moments captured by the intra-action of human, more-than-humans, others, and things.
“The image of the yeast above reminds me of the moon,” says Tracy. Tracy’s observation evokes thoughts and conversation about celestial time, sensations of endless time that stream through endless generations.
“Where are the yeast?” asks Ai.
Ai’s curiosity calls my attention to the way yeasts grow up. It is as if they are managing to expand upwards, against gravity’s laws, by hanging up on the air.
“You should try circle images, as they communicate better the cyclical movement of time,” says Crysta.
So, here I am experimenting with editing my images into circular forms, which call my attention to all the circular forms within my lived experience. Sensations of a linear process transform into cyclical experiences where the tools, motions, and challah bread are all round.
The cyclical motions of kneading the dough remind me of the clock’s cyclical motion as it goes round and around its borders. This perception provokes discussion about linear and cyclical time.
The photo with the round dough reminds me of the moon, as if the hands are holding it up in the starry night sky. Baking with children highlights the relationship we have with children, and brings forward the sensations of maternal energy. The maternal energy that Tracy brings up, which is associated with a common perception that the moon represents a feminine energy, evokes a debate about gender and gender performance.