Reunions, 2019

Participatory Installation, Wood, paint, masonite, moleskin, chair, mirror. 103 x 96 x 96 in. EFA Project Space, New York, NY (exhibition documentation)

In 2015, as part of my research on contemporary rituals surrounding death, I did an interview with a married couple who work in the field of bereavement therapy and study end of life experiences. They introduced me to their rendition of a modern-day psychomanteum in their basement, which they use as a therapeutic tool to aid in grieving. This experience provided the concept of Reunions. 

Based on an ancient Greek tradition revived by the parapsychology movement of the 1990s, Reunions takes the form of a psychomanteum, a small, darkened chamber containing a reflective surface such as a mirror or cistern of oil. This surface can be used for the ancient practice of scrying (gazing into the surface in hopes of receiving ethereal messages or visions) or it can be used to contact spirits of the dead.  

20190405_in-the-presence-of-absence_047.jpg

Reunions is my version of a psychomanteum, equipped with an angled mirror (meant to bridge the world of the spirit realm, see into the future, or find lost things), a comfortable seat (to allow the viewer to become both meditative and hyper-alert), and a dim light. I advise participants to take into account that this is not just a space within a room, but also a bridge to dimensions never previously observed. Preparations are provided to support individual experiences. 

20190405_in-the-presence-of-absence_059.jpg

*Additionally, visitors are encouraged to bring photos or personal items (objects which have special meaning to the deceased) to aid in contacting a loved one in spirit.