Peel
Peel, 2009
Single-Channel Video with Layered Sound
Duration: 7 minutes
Peel is an early video work in which the simple act of cooking becomes a study in rhythm, repetition, and sensory layering. Multiple frames show the artist performing everyday gestures—chopping vegetables, stirring, tucking a strand of hair—transformed through superimposition and synchronicity into a flowing visual composition.
Originally conceived as part of Saraf’s MFA thesis, Peel was driven by an intuitive approach to sound. Using recordings of her voice and ambient kitchen noise, Saraf staggered and layered audio tracks to create a textured sonic environment.
These overlapping sounds inspired a visual structure: videos were transparently layered and placed side-by-side, amplifying the smallest movements into rhythmic motifs.
Peel marks the emergence of key elements that would continue throughout Saraf’s practice: the body as instrument, domestic ritual as performance, and the quiet power of repetition. It stands as a precursor to later works such as FOLD and Fold [Live].
