Grief and Hope Art Installation
Hope does not erase grief.
It comes as a quiet presence of care, a steadying strength alongside us, right in the middle of all that has been lost. We do not grieve alone. God is with us all.
Grief and the holidays can be a challenging combination to navigate, no matter how many years have passed. I hope this art installation can bring you comfort and hope if your path holds that challenge.
This past Sunday, Marian Sunabe and I created an art installation for EvergreenLA, a faith family grieving great losses in the last year and a half. People were invited to offer a picture of who they were grieving or to write their loss on a piece of rice paper. The images and words were hung between two bamboo poles, sawn from the bamboo growing on the property. Gold paint, representing God's hope, was poured into two bowls, which Marian and I respectfully raised up under each paper, dipping the bottom and letting the gold drips fall to the paper below. With this simple, prayerful motion, we honored each loss, offering hope to companion the pain.
I was barefoot, as it felt like we were standing on holy ground. Every movement felt sacred and ceremonial. It was hard not to cry - even though the images and words faced forward, the lights made them transparent enough so we could see who we were honoring. A dear mentor, Roz Dumesnil, and my auntie were among those to whom I had the privilege of raising my bowl.
Marian and I both felt the gravity of the work last week as we prepared for Sunday and heard the stories that came with the pictures that were being sent to us. Together, our call was to create a place where this grief could be held with hope.
Artistic/creative collaboration with Marian Sunabe • Creative guidance: Jason Ashimoto, January Lim
Media: bamboo, string, paper, paint, ceramic bowls, clothespins
December 19, 2021, Evergreen LA
1:09:45 – Intro of art/context
1:18:00 – 1:18:37 Art installation
1:19:19 – 1:19:50
1:22:49
1:32:55 Close up detail
1:35:24
1:43:52 Reflection