This workshop is part of the Vagina Museum's South Asian Heritage Month Programme. The event is open to people of all backgrounds and of all genders, but is run by and primarily for folks of South Asian descent.

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Reclaiming Ritual

South Asian culture is incredibly rich and vibrant, yet for many born into it, it carries unspoken burdens, often perpetuating stereotypes and assigning specific rituals based on gender. In this online workshop, we invite you to bring a sacred or mundane object—one you wish to imbue with new meaning and rebuild a ritual around, on your own terms. Over 90 minutes, we will create a reflective space to explore, acknowledge, and reclaim new traditions that truly resonate with us. This is an opportunity to redefine your relationship with heritage and craft practices that honor your authentic self.

What you'll need:

✨ A sacred or mundane object that holds personal significance (e.g., a piece of jewelry, a kitchen utensil, a photograph, a textile item).

✨ Journal or notebook, paper and a pen/pencil.

✨ Water for drinking. 

✨ For the temporary altar: a cup of water, incense (optional, consider ventilation), flowers or a natural element (e.g., a small stone, a leaf).

THIS WORKSHOP WILL BE ONLINE ONLY - A Zoom link will be sent you twice, one day and one hour before the start of the event. All times given in British Summer Time (BST).

Facilitator Biography
Rupa Subramaniam (@warna.rupa) is a multidisciplinary visual artist and curator, who is of third generation Sri Lankan and South Indian heritage living in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Her work navigates identity, feminism, and culture through an intersectional lens. Merging traditional art forms with contemporary techniques, she crafts textured, layered pieces that engage with global narratives while reflecting localized politics. A key figure in Malaysia’s art scene, she is committed to deepening artistic expression and cultural discourse. Her current work is available on www.skinandsoul.art, exploring accessible web exhibitions, aiming to foster creative and social consciousness among urban audiences.

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South Asian Heritage Month at the Vagina Museum

Since 2022 the Vagina Museum has been in Bethnal Green in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, a vibrant and largely South Asian borough. Bangladeshis, and people from other parts of South Asia, have been a part of this community since the 1950’s, when the government encouraged Commonwealth citizens to move to the UK to help rebuild the country after World War Two.

Although we have South Asian volunteers and approximately 9% of our visitors identify as South Asian, there are currently no people of South Asian descent working for the Vagina Museum. We're a small team, but it is precisely this lack of representation that can lead to the kind of universalising narratives of which we are so critical. It is our responsibility, then, to put in the effort to bridge that gap. 

This isn’t about putting on one seminar or one exhibition, having one diversity hire or making one statement of solidarity. It has to be intentional and ongoing. With that in mind, we’re prioritising South Asian artists, poets, healthcare workers, and other organisers during South Asian Heritage Month with the aim of building our connections and networks within the community such that those relationships might continue to flourish after South Asian Heritage Month.

As this year’s theme suggests, we’re looking to put down some roots and see where those take us.

Find the whole programme on our website.

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