Sacred Texts

I work with sacred texts, cutting letters and combining them to create intricate designs. My work addresses the limitations of language and interpretation, and questions the exclusivity of fundamentalist belief systems. Letters are cut from a Bible and rearranged into a passage from the Koran, letters from the Koran are transformed into verses from the Torah, and so on. By deconstructing and recombining the holy books of diverse religions, I undermine their authority and animate the common thread that weaves through all scripture. 

As a former evangelical Christian, I am interested in the psychology of authority, surrender, and transcendence. The repetition of cutting and placing letters simulates the liturgical sacraments of the Church, and alludes to the recitations of Eastern religions. The labor-intensive aspect of my work is a meditation practice as well as an exploration of the various forms of devotion. My work is a celebration of the diverse experiences of spirituality, as well as an acknowledgment of the desire for connection with something larger than oneself. By blurring the boundaries between religions, I suggest that the holy word of God may be nothing more than a sublime expression of our shared humanity.