Art in the de Young museum in San Francisco. Anti-Mass, 2005, Cornelia Parker.
Wood charcoal (retrieved from an Alabama church destroyed by arson), nails, & wire.
This sculpture was constructed from the remains of a Southern Black Baptist Chursh destroyed by arsonists. It appears to defy gravity, suggesting the temporarality of everything physical. In the title, "mass" refers to both the elemental substance of the universe and the Catholic ritual, bringing together science and religion. Think about this piece compared to a figurative image of a burning church or injured people. The simplicity of the burnt wood evokes an entirely different experience and journey for the viewer.