BFA+MFA 2023

Steffi Ann Braganza, Hybrid of Tunisian and Arabesque patterns, mixed media, 2023

Steffi Ann Braganza, Bowls that represent third culture indivuals, Terracotta, 2023

Steffi Ann Braganza, Process of creating bowls, mixed media, 2023

Steffi Ann Braganza

Breaking Bread and Boundaries: Finding Home in Every Bite

MFA in Design

Raised outside of their “passport” countries, Third Culture Individuals (TCIs) often experience a lack of rootedness and belonging, where home is often everywhere and nowhere. Yet childhood food memories can provide the sense of connection and identity that TCIs crave. Four Qatar-raised TCIs, from very different backgrounds, share memories of their childhood comfort foods, now hybridized dishes, that reflect their unique third culture experiences. Each dish, in turn, inspired the creation of a separate set of cooking/dining ware designed to trigger a specific sensory memory: the sight, smell, touch, or sound associated with the original comfort dish. This specialized cooking/dining ware honors the unique experiences of TCIs, (re-)creating a centered identity for them, reconnecting them with cherished food memories so that they can feel at home wherever they are.