Janine Al-Bayati
Inheritance
1999 through 2002
Raku terra cotta
Copper Beech

Inheritance is an ongoing piece I began six years ago, consisting of hand-formed terra cotta beads. The beads gain their rich color and patina from an interaction with natural materials- wood, sawdust and paper- placed next to the forms during firing.

Wrapped around the roots of a beautiful copper beech tree, this incarnation of Inheritance explores the concept of time passing. The beads are strung in long rows, their repetition and linear progression echoing the accumulation of hours, days and years of experiences. The knots that bind the beads into place suggest to me the deliberate choices and actions that shape life and punctuate the flow of time. In the environment of Forest Hills, Inheritance also calls to mind the use of round beads in varied traditions of meditation and burial ritual around the world. Here, I hope to respect and participate in the ancient human practice.

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