Beneath the Sun, Lies the Wisdom Eye, 2025
Materials:
Powder-coated aluminum, stained glass, textile and wood
Dimension:
10x 8 x 8 feet
Shows:
Monument Eternal, Hammer Museum, Los Angeles, CA, 2025
Commissioned by:
Hammer Museum
Photography by:
Gabriel Noguez
Materials:
Powder-coated aluminum, stained glass, textile and wood
Dimension:
10x 8 x 8 feet
Shows:
Monument Eternal, Hammer Museum, Los Angeles, CA, 2025
Commissioned by:
Hammer Museum
Photography by:
Gabriel Noguez
Inspired by the spiritual and musical legacy of Alice Coltrane, Beneath the Sun, Lies the Wisdom Eye is an immersive installation that serves as both a sculptural site and a stage for live performance. The title references two of Coltrane’s songs—"The Sun," created in collaboration with John Coltrane, and "Wisdom Eye," a reflection of her spiritual journey after his passing.
Drawing from Eastern religious architecture, the structure incorporates geometric proportions, the Four Noble Truths, and elemental symbolism—earth, water, fire, air, and space—akin to stupas and sacred sites. Steps lead to a central platform, evoking ascension and inviting contemplation, ritual, and transformation.
Material choices connect deeply to Alice’s music, life and spiritual practice. Stained glass, inspired by her home in Dix Hills, New York, symbolizes cycles of time and spiritual evolution. Wood elements reference the warmth and stability of the Coltranes’ home, while deep orange hues—significant in Hinduism and Alice’s devotion—create an atmosphere that is both inviting and sacred. A custom rug, influenced by the prayer rugs the Coltranes collected and Alice’s album artwork, further ties the installation to their artistic and spiritual journey.
Positioned as a sacred site for performance, the work embodies presence and absence, connection and transcendence, offering a space for reflection, movement, and sound.
Drawing from Eastern religious architecture, the structure incorporates geometric proportions, the Four Noble Truths, and elemental symbolism—earth, water, fire, air, and space—akin to stupas and sacred sites. Steps lead to a central platform, evoking ascension and inviting contemplation, ritual, and transformation.
Material choices connect deeply to Alice’s music, life and spiritual practice. Stained glass, inspired by her home in Dix Hills, New York, symbolizes cycles of time and spiritual evolution. Wood elements reference the warmth and stability of the Coltranes’ home, while deep orange hues—significant in Hinduism and Alice’s devotion—create an atmosphere that is both inviting and sacred. A custom rug, influenced by the prayer rugs the Coltranes collected and Alice’s album artwork, further ties the installation to their artistic and spiritual journey.
Positioned as a sacred site for performance, the work embodies presence and absence, connection and transcendence, offering a space for reflection, movement, and sound.