Lindsey Best
THE BLESSINGS OF
MEMORY
A three-phase exhibition inspired by Jewish mourning rituals offered opportunities to heal. A collection of stones quietly accumulated in an outdoor display overlooking the North Arroyo on the Skirball campus. Initially set in neat piles, the stones soon began to overspill the windowsills on which they rested. Next to these formations, a placard indicated that each stone, placed by both Skirball visitors and employees, represented a life or experience lost during the COVID-19 pandemic. Though a poignant and sobering reminder of the tremendous pain our community and the world has endured over the past two years, the stone installation also conveyed a sense of strength, reaffirming the healing power of the collective spirit. Above: Participating in Phase II of Sustain, a couple placed visitation stones in memory of the losses they’ve experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Facing page: At the conclusion of Sustain, the visitation stones will be permanently placed in the Skirball’s North Arroyo.
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