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Inspired by a trip to Jerusalem in December 2011. Maxine was struck by the layering of history in Jerusalem & in particular religious history. Her artwork is a message of reconciliation to all of these differing religions.
Maxine made her own ark (out of her old dolls cupboard), this ark has been hand painted & antiqued on the outside using crackle glaze. The back of the cupboard was removed & she combined religious symbols to make a stained glass window. This artwork has been placed in front of a window to maximize the light that streams through and highlights the inside of the cupboard.
In front of the stained glass window she has made a screen of pomegranates out of clay. She says the pomegranates are symbolic of life and good deeds in the Jewish faith. This pomegranate screen is meant to make reference to the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem where people place prayers to God on pieces of paper.
Maxine asked girls in the school to write their hopes and prayers on pieces of paper & place it into her wall within her ark, mirroring her own experience at the Wailing Wall. These hopes and prayers are mostly wishes for health and happiness highlighting the fact that essentially we all want the same thing despite our racial and cultural differences.
Clay pomegranates are placed on a glass plate in front of the pomegranate screen acting as a focal point in this piece but also suggest religious offering. Maxine also hand crafted these items.
Finally because this artwork was supposed to resemble a Torah ark it needed curtains. To further enhance the idea of layered religion she made three sets of curtains, each displaying a drawing of a religious leader.
Maxine did the drawing in charcoal on paper & then had the drawings digitally printed on to canvas. The viewer interacts with these curtains pulling them apart & symbolically breaking the power these religious leaders wield. Maxine believes that it is often these leaders who prevent people from accepting each other’s faith. (more images can be viewed at: http://www.joanmartin.co.za/blog/2012/6/5/unity-ark.html
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| Author |
| Maxine Aufrichtig , 18 yrs |
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| School |
| Durban Girls' College |
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