Desi

Influenced by traditional rituals and customs around life and death cycles, flesh and decay, permanency and ephemera, and sustainable practice, I have created a graveside shrine for my mother and father.

My parents' shrine is made from ceramic, resin, found objects, herbs, flowers and family heirlooms. It contrasts with the common, mass produced marble Greek funerary monuments. Having co-designed the work with my mother, I impressed tablecloths with hand stitching into the clay. These were brought by her from Greece when migrating to Australia in the 1960’s. The sentimental scent of Greek basil is fixed into resin crosses. My father’s love of flowers and roses a ceramic ode.

Inside the shrine are my personal altar effects: incense and incense holders from Greece, and candle holders from my father’s birthplace of Cyprus, as well as a heart rose quartz for love.
These will be used in future memorial rituals for my parents when I visit their graveside.