This participatory installation is a part of GATHER: A series of monuments and rituals

Even before the world was torn asunder, we were already losing touch; a loneliness epidemic had been on the rise for decades. We all need to find moments and places where we don’t have to feel alone, even if we are separated by space and time. In Southeast Asia, the use of string and knots is often symbolic of unions and connection. In this installation, a dense canopy of colorful cloth dangles like an ethereal forest, woven from stories of joy and belonging. Visitors can contribute their own stories on strips of fabric to the installation, or simply bear witness to the warmth and community that surrounds them. Small bells affixed near the top of the installation chime softly when visitors pass through the jungle of threads. This piece is an act of resistance against forces that would keep us apart, a place of refuge and togetherness in an often-isolated world.