Thursday, August 8, 2013

Spirit House Installation

Last week the volunteers were invited to a special occasion at Artisans du Mekong, a gallery and cafe space over the Mekong in Luang Prabang. A new spirit house was installed which had been designed and built by artist, Ken Yarbrough. A spirit house is a shrine to the protective spirits of a place. They are usually in the form of a small house or temple and are mounted on a dais or pillar. Ken's designs are unique in that his work is often inspired by objects and materials he gathers locally. He often repairs, renovates and creates spirit houses using recycled items, many of which are found in temples around Luang Prabang. A small ceremony took place to welcome the protective spirits to the house followed by the tying of thread bracelets on the wrists of all those involved. It was a unique experience and something we were very glad to be a part of.
Share/Save/Bookmark

0 comments: