Artists Statement

This piece is a representation of the sacredness of faith as well as the sometimes intangible nature of it. I was inspired by the recent publication of Mother Theresa’s letters which showed a darker side of faith that many people experience but sometimes hide. The struggle with doubt and feelings of distance or separation from God are common to many. In making a paper pressing of the religious icon, I seek to convey a faith that is distant or removed. The natural desire and curiosity to touch and examine the paper is counterbalanced by the knowledge that the paper is simply a record of something else that was once encased in it. The act of stitching it together relays a meticulous care for the contents and materials. The interior of the locket is created separately from the exterior casing and can be suspended independently. This action represents my belief that God exists with of without my belief. The exterior casing is my human attempt at holding onto something that is intangible and distant. The casing has been pierced with words that I pulled from one of Mother Theresa’s letters that describe her longing. The act of hand writing these words and piercing them so that they may only be read without the paper interior makes tangible the distance between my grasp of faith and faith itself. The front covering has been pierced to reference confessional booths and allows us to see bits of what is inside. The cover protects the contents as well as heightens the curiosity as to what is inside. The process of making this object was lovingly and carefully attended to as a representation of my spiritual path.