Rum för själen

Abstract

In today’s society, with a constant abundance of impressions, experiences and material values, there is a growing need for rooms for quietness, contemplation and spirituality: rooms independent of religious and cultural background, where you can be free from external demands and reconnect with your inner self. My main questions have been: What characterizes a room for the soul? and What makes a room spiritual? Inspired by sacred rooms and Japanese concepts of space I have created an imaginary retreat in my home area in Österbotten, Finland. A glass chapel for spiritual growth and a simple shelter where resting, bathing and eating are formed into spiritual rituals. In a simple environment without extraneous influences, the mind becomes clearer and the essential appears. With nature as the only companion, life acquires new proportions. A series of colour photographs is the lasting result of these transient settings. The pictures create freedom for the observer’s own thoughts, and in that moment the rooms become real. The work can be seen as a source of inspiration for creating alternative spiritual rooms or in making one’s own room for the soul.