please send your comments to me at sudane-dot-erato-at-gmail.com and I'll post them here
The first thing that struck me was the overflowing chalice of blood, the centrepiece. To me, this represents the blood of women - the monthly flow that makes us women, and that men can sometimes find so significant either as an excuse to ostrasize, or to revere, or some kind of representation of weakness, or evil; the blood spilled by women, mostly by men. I see the blood also as representative of the pain and suffering caused by religion, the religion of men, made by them and in their image. It could be the blood of anyone that the church - religions of all kinds - have spilled in their relentless pursuit of power.
Then I see the yin/yang symbol, and the woman who holds it up. She seems to be alternatively struggling, or strong. Is this the female in all of us, both male and female, struggling for a balanced life? Perhaps this is the eternal woman who rises above all of the suffering to create balance.
I recognize the other images in the chapel, from different cultures and times. They have much to say, each one of them, and I am not a scholar so don't understand the messages completely. Is it the medusa, the one with the snake-hair? She is mythologized, screaming, and decapitated - is she a once powerful god that has been conquered?
I've found the chapel quite moving and powerful!
~visitor~
I like very much the compactness of the space - a 'womb'? - and I like the imagery you used. How other people will look at it I dunno - most people often get things completely wrong.
In any case I think it's brave of you to put this very inner expression of yourself to the public view. To tell you the truth, I think I wouldn't be able to do it myself, but then I generally think along the lines of 'heard melodies are sweet, but the unheard ones are sweeter' - so my most creative expression is generally mind-only, … So I admire both your capacity to create such an artistic 'wholeness', and the braveness :)
A curious thing I was feeling when I was looking at your chapel this time is the way how western cultures (you have a few in there) show women as passive. It's the first time I noticed this so strongly, maybe because in my Buddhist vehicle the active principles are always female - or better, the enlightened action (the one who is spontaneous, free of concept, and whose qualifiers are solely wisdom and compassion) is embodied by females: Arya Tara (praised as "Quick and Fearless") and the Dakinis ("Runners/Dancers of Space").
So it was very curious to look at your chapel, because to me suddenly it felt stilled... as if awaiting. Mind that is not disparaging at all - but just to tell you that your chapel did indeed 'awaken' some perception about myself, and things - and that maybe is the best praise I could make to it?
~visitor~
(forwarding the note of invitation to others who might be interested)
This "Chapel of Women" to which the note below refers has been build by my friend, Sudane Erato. You may find the images she has chosen to be disturbing. At the same time the treatment of women worldwide is still disturbing. I am sharing with you this note because I believe that you share my commitment to gender equality in our rl and think you may also wish to see Sudane's artistic commentary.
~visitor~
The red poppies are perfect and loaded with symbolism: a symbol of sleep and death.....but also of resurrection. And in thinking of poppies in terms of Flanders Fields or Veterans Day, there is the meaning of remembrance. For me in this present moment the remembrance of the divine feminine is so strong and the presence at the Chapel is incredibly powerful. I am really moved to tears . . .
~visitor~
Merci for the visceral and marvelous text at "Chapel of Woman." . It touched me a lot.
~visitor~