The Urban Environment and The Sacred: Water Ritual

2021 Works on Water / Underwater NY Residency

My current work contemplates the sacred among the urban environment by performing a water ritual. Water is a sacred life giving force and water surrounds life in NYC. I create rituals to reconnect with ancestral knowledge and reclaim that history from my body. The water ritual creates a connection between the physical body and the bodies of water that surround NYC.

It’s hard to think of sacredness in an urban setting. A city consists of an abundance of people and a complex network of infrastructure. Unfortunately, within our current ways of life, pollution of the air, soil and water is extensive. As part of urban living, things are loud and fast, and during the covid-19 pandemic, uncertain. Aspects of city dwelling make it hard to see and feel the sacredness of life, of land, and of water, and so, connecting with our natural environment is vital.

Through the proposed work I invite viewers to honor water, show water reverence and gratitude, and (re)connect with the sacred waters that surround us not only in the physical environment but also within the body.