Inanimate Objects
The Inanimate Object series explores structures and objects from around the world that possess a distinct spiritual essence and that may be imbued with myth and legend. They are places that I have personally been to, and which have touched my life in some way or other.
Bricks from this series are available from my online shop here.
For stockists of larger works, please see below.
The Wailing Wall
available from Churchhouse Gallery
The “Wailing Wall”, also known as the “Western Wall” and/or “Kotel” (meaning wall in Hebrew) is in the city of Jerusaleum, in Israel.
It is Judaism's holiest site and the only fragment that remains of the Second Temple - most of which was destroyed by the Romans during the First Jewish War in 70 AD. Jews lament the destruction of the Temple and pray for its restoration, and it has long been a custom to push slips of paper with wishes or prayers on them into the wall’s cracks.
Jewish devotions there date from the early Byzantine period and their belief is that “the divine Presence never departs from the Western Wall.”
From the perspective of Jewish tradition, the Wailing Wall is a term that comes from the Arabs. When the Arabs saw the Jews praying to the Almighty and mourning the destruction of the Temple, they called it "El-Mabka", which means "The Place of Wailing" or "The Wailing Wall."
It was derived from them and was integrated into several other languages, including Russian and English.
Wailing Wall
The Great Zimbabwe Ruins (Africa).
available from Churchhouse Gallery
The word ‘ Zimbabwe’ is a Shona/Bantu word that translates to 'House of Stone.’ The Great Zimbabwe Ruins are what remains of a thriving trading empire that existed between the 11th and 15th centuries. Part of them, the area called the Great Enclosure, is the largest single ancient structure in sub-Saharan Africa.
The monumental stone walls were supposedly constructed to express the wealth and power of those living within them, and the allure of this ancient city is that much is still unknown as no primary written documents remain.
In the late 19th century numerous soapstone figurines in the form of a bird were found in the ruins; this Zimbabwe Bird later became a national symbol, incorporated into the Zimbabwe flag. Great Zimbabwe Ruins became a national monument and was designated a World Heritage Site in 1986, but the origins of the stone structures are still shrouded in mystery.
Great Zimbabwe Wall
Zimbabwe mini brick I
Great Zimbabwe Wall
Church of the Good Shepherd (New Zealand)
Situated on the shores of Lake Takapo in the South Island, the Church of the Good Shepherd is one of New Zealand’s most photographed buildings.
It was Built in 1935 to commemorate the original pioneers of the Mackenzie Country, who arrived after Māori had been established in the area. It was instructed that the Matagouri bushes surrounding the site were to remain and that the stones for the wall were to be procured from within a radius of five miles - unchipped and in their natural condition. A concrete cross, symbolic of Christianity, was placed on the northern gable. Inside the church, a representation of the Good Shepherd is carved on the altar, and alpine flora and fauna are carved on the Oamaru stone front. Oak was chosen as the wood for a number of fittings in the church to symbolise the links between the Mackenzie Basin sheep herders and their British forbears.
Adjoining land was also gifted so that the church remained in splendid isolation - protecting it from ever being usurped by future development.
These symbols of land and religion combined with the Church of the Good Shepherd's position in the midst of an almost sacred natural beauty, have enraptured visitors ever since it was built and provides a place of worship for local residents.
Church of the Good Shepherd
Church of the Good Shepherd mini brick
Blarney Castle (Ireland)
available from Churchhouse Gallery
Set into the tower of Blarney Castle on the southern tip of Ireland’s County Cork is the famous Stone of Eloquence. Better known as Cloch na Blarnan or the Blarney Stone.
One of the 16th century legends involves the goddess Clíodhna and Cormac Laidir MacCarthy.
Cormac was troubled with a lawsuit and feared the ruling would be against him. He prayed to the goddess Clíodhna and she told him to kiss the first stone he finds on the way to court.
In the morning, MacCarthy kissed the first stone he found and immediately was given the ability to speak with eloquence. MacCarthy won his case and afterward brought the stone to be incorporated into the parapet of the Castle.
It’s believed anyone who kisses the stone will be endowed with the gift of the gab - or ‘blarney’ - and this is where the English language saying "What a load of blarney?" comes from!
Ahlambra (Spain)
currently available from my shop
Alhambra in Granada, Spain, is often described as having a spiritual essence, particularly in its architecture and the way it is perceived by visitors. Its origins - on the top of the Al-Sabika hill in Granada, Spain - go back to the mid-13th century and the reign of Muhammad I ibn al-Ahmar - the founder of the Arabic, Nasrid family.
The name "Alhambra" is thought to be from the Arabic Qal'at al-Hamra (Qalat Al-Hamra), meaning "castle of red” - so the name might represent the red clay that was used to construct it.
Alhambra, created to be a self-sufficient fortress that would ensure independence and resilience, served multiple purposes. It was a royal and wealthy residence, a symbol of spirituality, a centre of cultural and artistic achievement, and a gigantic display of Islamic power. It became a hub for poets and scholars with its calligraphic inscriptions of Arabic poetry on the palace walls. These reflected themes of beauty, nature, and spirituality.
The architecture showcased innovative techniques and elegant aesthetics. These elements not only served decorative purposes but also reinforced Islamic cultural values. The natural elements of light and water were also very prominent. Numerous fountains, pools, and water channels symbolise purity and life and the connection to nature.
Legend has it that the sounds of clanking chains and low moaning voices can be heard across the Courtyard of the Lions in the heart of Alhambra, and that spirits of the North African Abencerrages, murdered in a nearby Royal Hall, continue to roam the area. Blood spots are still said to be visible on the marble floor inside.
