8'-5" x 11' Home


 

    The place I call "home" is a quite compact space in Cambridge, MA. Within it are memorabilia and everyday items which are quite global. The west facing wall of my room is the most important as it is what I call my "prayer wall." I hand made two hanging white-washed wooden shelves which hold holy images, sacred texts and biblical quotes/reflections, as well as prayer intentions and other reminders to contemplate. As a Christian, more specifically Catholic, I have many rosaries and chaplets gifted to me by friends during their pilgrimages and travels to Rome and the Holy Land- these are hung lowest on the wall towards the left of my desk, allowing me to easily grab them while working. To the right of my desk is a holy water font and daily prayer card from my home in PA. Other decorative items on the wall have either been crocheted or sketched by myself, and are an amalgamation of my artistic trials and attempted hobbies. 

    Mirroring this wall is where my bed is placed below a wall of decorative baskets I found throughout my family homes of Philadelphia and Imo State Nigeria, as well as in various thrift-shops (which are basically home as well). Between the baskets are a brass crucifix from my travels to Chile as well as a Nigerian flag- all of which represent my roots and that which I value most. I also have a clothing rack placed to the left on my bed- here I place clothes that I have sewn myself or hope to upcycle. They are displayed as inspiration for the next project I have in mind. To the right of my bed is my wooden bookshelf containing most pertinent school books as well as my bible and journal in a small basket gifted to me by a good friend. 

    Most of the other items in my room have been gifted or thrifted- I am not one to purchase something new unless it is necessary. The value of creating is quite apparent as is the appreciation of natural items through the wood present in most items (shelves, desk, rack).

   This exercise has made me realize that my room truly symbolizes who I am but more importantly, it symbolizes who I've become and who I want to be.

(prayer wall)

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Loss of Rhythm

Image
  The importance of rhythm and movement is necessary in many African styles and symbolisms. Uli, as used in walled surfaces, highlights rhythms within the form of existing structures. The idea of post-colonial architecture in Nigeria, via modern interventions and western projection of design, has contributed to the erasure of the necessity for rhythm, particularly in the most recognizable form of architecture– the home.  The village home in Southeastern Igboland, Nigeria, is the primary focus of this post as I was inspired by the writing by Ulli Beier, a critic of post-colonial modern architecture in Nigeria, who believed that architecture should be a “product of culture.” Beier recognized that most Nigerians saw modern buildings in styles of the west as signs of progress. Through his work, I have realized that this is still a widespread view today. The images below depict my village home growing up, as designed by my father and uncles in the 1940s, and the new home I lived in...
Read more