Doorways to Spirit
The Magical Buffet was created with the idea of helping foster religious tolerance. I’m sure one day it will grow and evolve, but at this point it’s almost a direct representation of my thoughts and views (that’s what happens when one person generates at least half of the content). Sometimes I get so caught up in my chosen format for expression that I forget that there are many ways for an individual to express their views on the subject of religious tolerance. Today I stumbled across someone else’s thoughts on the topic, and it was big. In fact, it’s 16 door panels of big!
I’m talking about “Doorways to Spirit” by the Victoria, British Columbia artist Maarten Schaddelee. “Doorways to Spirit” is 16 wooden doors with hand carved art on each door depicting a different facet of the spiritual journey that people take. The doors show very mainstream paths, such as Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Taoism, Sikhism, and Hinduism, but Schaddelee also includes the less spoken of paths of Baha’i, Shinto, Zorastrianism, Confucianism, Jainism, Goddess, First Peoples, Nature, and The Arts. The doors are all hinged, but they are locked together into a circle and do not open.
“The only way to pass through a door is spiritually, and regardless of which door or doors you choose to ‘go through’ the centre is the same for all,” says the artist on the gallery’s website. You can see why I like this guy! Just in case you don’t get the symbolism, Schaddelee spells it out, “These doors must stand together, or they fall down; the most important message is tolerance of each other.”
The “Doorways to Spirit” exhibit is going on until August 25, 2007 at Maarnada Studios and Gallery at 744 Douglas Street Victoria, BC. To learn more and see some photos of the exhibit visit www.maarnada.ca.
I’m talking about “Doorways to Spirit” by the Victoria, British Columbia artist Maarten Schaddelee. “Doorways to Spirit” is 16 wooden doors with hand carved art on each door depicting a different facet of the spiritual journey that people take. The doors show very mainstream paths, such as Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Taoism, Sikhism, and Hinduism, but Schaddelee also includes the less spoken of paths of Baha’i, Shinto, Zorastrianism, Confucianism, Jainism, Goddess, First Peoples, Nature, and The Arts. The doors are all hinged, but they are locked together into a circle and do not open.
“The only way to pass through a door is spiritually, and regardless of which door or doors you choose to ‘go through’ the centre is the same for all,” says the artist on the gallery’s website. You can see why I like this guy! Just in case you don’t get the symbolism, Schaddelee spells it out, “These doors must stand together, or they fall down; the most important message is tolerance of each other.”
The “Doorways to Spirit” exhibit is going on until August 25, 2007 at Maarnada Studios and Gallery at 744 Douglas Street Victoria, BC. To learn more and see some photos of the exhibit visit www.maarnada.ca.
Comments
Rebecca -- thanks for the heads up about the doorways of spirit exhibit. I checked out the link and was really impressed (so much so that I forwarded the link on to other friends who would appreciate it.)
Thanks for the blog and the Magical Buffet. It makes me feel a whole lot better to know that there are others who believe that the re are many paths to truth.
fondly,
Jill
Posted by: Jill | August 18, 2007 10:56 PM