About..."Penitent"

This is a piece I built from found objects and my own graphite drawing of a worn shell. The piece came together when I found the tiny plastic figure in an attitude of prayer at a church yard sale. On a holiday I was struck by the penitents who knelt on the streets in Italy. 

The influence of differing belief systems, along with the artifacts and symbols associated with certain spiritual practices have long fascinated me. The placement of the pegs calls to mind factory chimneys and the business side of religion, as well as the notion of having a place to "hang things"... in the sense of making sense of one's life and experiences. 

A visit to the Vatican Gift Shop provided a plastic bag and the text element bound by gilded wooden strips.

  Penitent  

8 x 6 x 2"

Photo by Jay York