For thousands of years, cultures around the world have created designs on the ground. In India, rangoli patterns are crafted with symbols that aim to bring beauty, harmony, and balance, turning negative energy into a positive force.

“It comes from the tradition of a woman who paints or draws a very simple pattern on the threshold of her home,” said artist Indira Freitas Johnson, who grew up in Mumbai. 

“It’s done early in the morning to welcome the day and bring blessings on her family. During the day, people walk over it, and it’s obliterated. She does it again the next day.”

Johnson is creating two large rangolis for The Orchid Show: India Blooms, set beside bright blue wooden doors near Nichols Hall, capturing the fleeting beauty of nature. Although the rangolis won’t be walked upon, visitors can participate in the creative process by adding rice flour, turmeric powder, earth, flower petals, and leaves.

“One of the goals of this project is to discover through dialog, art, and ritual, the commonality of our human experience, and the spiritual potential inherent in all of us,” she said.

Everyone’s invited to join in, whether you’re an artist or not.

“We all participate in rituals at holidays—we decorate our houses, or set a beautiful table, or take the time to figure out what kind of flowers to arrange,” Johnson said. “It’s part of the ritual to express yourself.”