UNSPEAKABLE BEAUTY
Process & Inspiration:
The Unspeakable Beauty project began with a core question: “What does it mean to make art from something horrific, and what story does that tell?” Traditionally, art celebrates beauty, but here the goal was to create a lantern—a classic symbol of light and hope—that would portray darker moments of human history. Inspired by artistic traditions like Gothic stained glass, where light symbolizes goodness, this piece sought to challenge viewers’ expectations by showing that light can reveal not only beauty but also harsh truths.
Materials & Design Approach:
The lantern was constructed from laser-cut wood, designed with four panels, each dedicated to a major historical trauma: the Holocaust, lynchings in America, COVID-19, and the Palestinian crisis. The process involved curating and abstracting these images to create collage designs that, upon closer inspection, reveal their troubling origins. This method of simplification allowed each tragic event to be embodied subtly within the lantern's illuminated panels.
Reflection & Outcome:
The lantern elicits a response of surprise and discomfort, leading viewers to confront the horror, beauty, and their expectations. The traditional link between light and hope persists subtly; if art can reveal beauty within horror, perhaps understanding and transformation can emerge from confronting other dark histories. The piece ultimately serves as a meditation on resilience, offering a reminder that even the most unspeakable events can carry lessons of hope.