Behind the Shelf
Thesis Faculty:
Mani Nilchiani, Ethan Silverman, John Sharp, Andrew ZornozaAn inquiry into engraved kitchenware, intergenerational conversations, and feminist material memory.
Hidden in the back of many Indian kitchen cupboards are stainless steel utensils engraved with women’s names. These objects are used like any other plate or spoon, yet they quietly hold traces of identity, marriage, and generational history.
Despite being a widespread domestic practice, there is almost no formal documentation of this tradition. As stainless steel utensils are gradually replaced by disposable household goods, the material traces of this custom are slowly disappearing.
Behind the Shelf began as an investigation into these engraved utensils and the stories they hold. Through interviews with women across generations, the project uncovers how everyday kitchenware has functioned as an informal archive of women’s lives within domestic spaces.
