Secular Altar Box— Thesis Subproject

October – December 2020

Pratt Institute

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Art

This work is a subproject of my MFA thesis on sacred space for a secular audience. My thesis aims to contribute to a world where design for the sacred is available to all, regardless of any religion or beliefs.

The Secular Alter Box is a small altar, unattached to any religion or belief. The altar comes with cards that include prompts to inspire different ways to use the altar. However, people are invited to interact with the altar in any way they like.

I chose the materials and design to create an aura that inspired a meditative state. I built the altar by developing the structural and geometric design, which I laser cut into iridescent acrylic material. The geometric and seemingly complex shapes etched into the altar are inspired by sacred geometry, an ancient visual system based on ratios and forms found in natural phenomena. Many religious and spiritual symbols have evolved from these shapes. However, I purposely made the shapes complex enough to read no religious symbolism.

When light shines through the material and geometric shapes, vibrant images project onto the walls, building an awe-inspiring atmosphere in the space around it.