Silence is a Fence for Wisdom, Arte in Memoria Biennale, Ostia Antica, Rome, Italy, 2019

Wood, paint, hardware, w. 131 ft. h. 7.25 ft.

This piece was sited in the ruins of the Synagogue in Ostia Antica, one of the oldest relics from the Jewish diaspora. I created a 131 ft. wall that equaled the expanse of the synagogue. The wall served several functions. First as a sound barrier to lessen the extensive traffic noise within the perimeter of the synagogue. My hope was for the wall to be seen and felt; perhaps allowing for a heightened awareness of the sacred site. The wall functioned as a backdrop/curtain for the ruins. The wall was also a blackboard; a site for visitors to write—reflections, declarations, remembrances. The blackboard functioned like a palimpsest, which is a frequently invoked metaphor for the city of Rome’s historic layers.