How do we cope with living through the systems of extractive capitalism? In what ways do we seek the spiritual in order to combat feelings of loneliness, and the yearning to connect with the world around us?

My main source of inspiration for evoking the metaphysical has been the reflective surface. In Persian culture, mirrors are often used as ritual objects connected to a mystical realm. They are emitters of light, and allow us a peak into a hopeful future. The center piece of the Islamic garden is the reflection pool. It is an element which interacts directly with its environment in order to send us to a meditative mindset. The pools expand their surroundings, distorting our perception of reality in order to create an otherworldly place on Earth- the liminal space of spirituality.

“And where would I go from your presence?” is the result of our current practice of extractive capitalism. It works to conflate our understanding of water and crude oil, and the paralleling politics of the two. Both of these materials are attributed to the creation and sustainability of life, while in the same breathe are capable of destroying it. What does it mean when these resources intertwine in a sacred space?