The black altar of consciousness

2024
Black Porcelain, chiffon, wax

The Black Altar of Consciousness is an installation staged as a spiritual altar and portal to the unconscious. The base is a fabric altar on which ceramic vessels with candles are arranged, complemented by a bowl that can contain water or other symbolic liquids. The altar, made of black porcelain, charcoal on satin and chiffon, and wax, embodies the idea of access to the “dark side” of the self.
The work creates a meditative and ritualistic atmosphere that invites viewers to enter into a dialogue with their own subconscious. The installation encourages us to turn to what is hidden within us and to engage in an inner dialogue with a new inner deity or an expanded self. The use of symmetry refers to spiritual perfection and harmony, which can only be achieved by confronting and accepting one's own shadow. The sentences and questions integrated into the installation – “How strange familiar you are. Who are you?” or “Do I not have enough of my own life to deal with?” – illuminate the tension and emptiness that people feel when they lose touch with their own soul. Carl Gustav Jung's Red Book served as an essential inspiration for this work.