JEFFREY SCHIFF

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Kneelers

The Cathedral of Saint John the Divine, New York City  2001
steel, naugahyde, foam rubber, and plastic

These structures are based on “kneelers,” common articles of ecclesiastical furniture that accommodate Christian prayer. Each directs the viewer in a particular practice of prayer. They engage the structural vocabulary of contemporary exercise machines in the form of the prayer kneeler, suggesting different programs for spiritual exercise. The Kneelers were made for the Cathedral of St John the Divine. Visitors are invited to privately use the structures in the public arena of the Cathedral.

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Kneelers

August 21, 2014 by jschiff@wesleyan.edu

The Cathedral of Saint John the Divine, New York City  2001
steel, naugahyde, foam rubber, and plastic

These structures are based on “kneelers,” common articles of ecclesiastical furniture that accommodate Christian prayer. Each directs the viewer in a particular practice of prayer. They engage the structural vocabulary of contemporary exercise machines in the form of the prayer kneeler, suggesting different programs for spiritual exercise. The Kneelers were made for the Cathedral of St John the Divine. Visitors are invited to privately use the structures in the public arena of the Cathedral.

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