Their Natural State (2014)
On the night of December 19, 2012, two extremist Orthodox men entered King David’s Tomb in Jerusalem and began smashing Ottoman Era tiles. While they only managed to shatter some of the tombs' tiles, the walls were completely destroyed two weeks later as unknown vandals finished the job. 
Project Research
Front view of "Their Natural State," a sculpture recreation of an archway facade at King Davids Tomb in Jerusalem. The sculpture is made up of paper tiles created with vellum, hand drawn with marker, and strung together with fishing line. the final product is a ghost-like memorial. Each tile is painted with blue, turquoise, green and red floral patterns.
archway: marker on handcrafted vellum paper tiles. Dimensions: 11 feet  x 1/4 inches x 10.5 feet. 2014. Installation view at the Chicago Artist's Coalition, Chicago, IL.​​​​​​​
Angled view of "Their Natural State," a sculpture recreation of an archway facade at King Davids Tomb in Jerusalem. The sculpture is made up of paper tiles created with vellum, hand drawn with marker, and strung together with fishing line. the final product is a ghost-like memorial. Each tile is painted with blue, turquoise, green and red floral patterns.
archway: marker on handcrafted vellum paper tiles. Dimensions: 11 feet  x 1/4 inches x 10.5 feet. 2014. 
Detail of "Their Natural State" showing ornamental ottoman era inspired tiles, drawn onto vellum paper with blue, turquoise, green, and red floral patterns.
detail: marker on handcrafted vellum paper tiles. Dimensions: 11 feet  x 1/4 inches x 10.5 feet. 2014. 
Detail of "Their Natural State" showing ornamental ottoman era inspired tiles, drawn onto vellum paper with blue, turquoise, green, and red floral patterns.
detail: marker on handcrafted vellum paper tiles. Dimensions: 11 feet  x 1/4 inches x 10.5 feet. 2014. 
Full Close-up of "Their Natural State" showing ornamental ottoman era inspired tiles, drawn onto vellum paper with blue, turquoise, green, and red floral patterns. Slight variations in the drawn pattern are more discernible in this image.
detail: marker on handcrafted vellum paper tiles. Dimensions: 11 feet  x 1/4 inches x 10.5 feet. 2014. 
I tore photographs that I took of Jerusalem stone walls, and then reconstructed them into three-dimensional rubble sculptures.
Jerusalem stone is a type of limestone, used to indicate Jewish identity both within Israel and around the world (i.e. synagogues and Jewish Community Centers). ​By law, buildings within Jerusalem must be faced with this stone, thereby proclaiming Jerusalem as a Jewish city. The acts of destruction and reconstruction serve to challenge the "natural state" of spatial identity.
"Their Natural State" Rubble sculpture detail showing various shades of tan and grey blending together to create a rock texture. The sculpture hangs on one of the gallery's columns, with a tile archway appearing in the distance
rubble: deconstructed photographs of Jerusalem stone, wire (multiple objects). Dimensions variable. 2014. 
"Their Natural State" Rubble sculpture hangs on one of the gallery's columns
rubble: deconstructed photographs of Jerusalem stone, wire (multiple objects). Dimensions variable. 2014. 
"Their Natural State" Two Rubble sculptures sit at the base of a column
rubble: deconstructed photographs of Jerusalem stone, wire (multiple objects). Dimensions variable. 2014. 
"Their Natural State" Rubble sculpture hangs at the top center edge of the gallery's freestanding wall.
rubble: deconstructed photographs of Jerusalem stone, wire (multiple objects). Dimensions variable. 2014. 
"Their Natural State" closeup of Rubble sculpture hanging at the top center edge of the gallery's freestanding wall.
rubble: deconstructed photographs of Jerusalem stone, wire (multiple objects). Dimensions variable. 2014. 
"Their Natural State" - A collection of hand drawn paper vellum tiles that creates a large square of patterns. An exterior collection of tiles creates a floral frame with mostly blue and turquoise tones. The interior tiles show floral imagery inside of a simple vase, with blue, red, green, and turquoise on top of a white background.
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