Statement
“Write your prayers and reflections on the paper provided, roll your prayer into a scroll, and place it at the altar.”
The prompt above asks viewers to participate in Sanctuary by adding their own thoughts, memories, and wishes to the interfaith, spiritual, and secular space. The words and images from this participation are documented in the book, Recording Sanctuary.
My work attempts to provide an opportunity to build bridges between conflicts and divides. I imagine a space where document and personal collide, and where collective memory is possible. In Sanctuary the walls of the space and altar are hand cut designs of a pattern with a rich history; a geometric design, which existed in a space belonging to many different religions and faiths. The labor-intensive act of hand-cutting, invoked an experience of meditation, mantra, and spirituality as I completed the process.
Sophia Keskey 