The Chamber of Exchange, Figment New York 2016

 “This is a dome that people can enter into to practice the skill of letting go of the bad and receiving the good. When we set the intention to let go of things we don’t want in life, we start the process that is necessary for removal, and when we ask for things we desire, we are making space to receive them. The intentional action prepares us to change the energy in our lives. the purpose of the Chamber of Exchange is to help start this process.”

As my artistic practice often does, this dome focused on creating a ritual that people could participate in to shift something in their lives.

Recently I have been learning the lesson that before we can have certain good things enter our lives, we need to make space for releasing some of the things that we don’t want in our lives. 

 For example, when we are attached to certain things like negative feelings or bad relationships, we spend a huge amount of our time focusing on things that are weighing us down. This focus on the negative often pulls our energy away from things we want to increase in our lives, like positivity, abundance, and good relationships.

The dome was made out of blue and teal shade stars, giving a feeling of calm and weightlessness inside the dome. It created a temple-like atmosphere for people to enter into to participate in a small ritual.

The ritual in the dome was to help people set an intention to let go of what they didn’t want in their lives, to make space for what they did. On a piece of paper, people would write down what they didn’t want in their lives and then they would seal it into an envelope. This envelope would then go into a sculptural form in the middle.

 After completing this action, they would then take a tag and write down what they wanted to increase in their lives. This tag would then be hung from the ceiling of the tent for everyone to see.

 When I first came up with this concept, I thought that it may be a little complex for Figment. Figment is largely a family / child based attendance, and I wondered if this concept might be a little difficult for kids to grasp.

Much to my surprise, this installation was hugely popular and fully engaged with. Well over 500 people participated, and the atmosphere inside the dome was reverent and respectful.

Many kids took it very seriously, and spent a lot of time thinking about things that they didn’t want in their life and things that they did. Some the encounters were so touching that it brought tears to my eyes as children talked about letting go of their anger, sad feelings, or acts of unkindness. 

 Many adults expressed to me how much they appreciated the installation. The encounters I had were sincere and genuine. Everyone who entered into the space seemed to approach it with the seriousness of the meaningful experience I had intended it to be.

It was so inspiring to watch people engage with art in the way that I feel it is meant for. It truly touched my heart and reminded me why I’m so passionate about making these types of spaces for people. It makes all of this work so worth it. 

 Thank you so much to everyone who came and participated this weekend.