Wood Shrine

A vast amount of the wood that is painstakingly harvested is crushed and burned once it has fulfilled its first purpose. This wood is often perfectly good for many more uses. Wood Shrine tries to reconnect us to this material store, demonstrating that our attention and craft can elevate “waste” to the level of a shrine. 

‍Wood Shrine is made entirely from “waste” wood found on dump sites. The shrine is handcrafted using traditional woodworking techniques. The veneering process enables large surface areas to be covered using few, small pieces of wood. Many of the veneers are made from pieces under 30cm which cannot usually be safely machined.

The piece evokes a reverence for the material, calling on religious iconography to inspire a sense of awe. However, hidden in the symbolism are the molecules and material required for the photosynthesis process, one of the Earth’s most profound and valuable natural processes. Wood Shrine poses a new god: cyclical consumption and a deep gratitude for the Earth’s natural processes that support our material existence. 

Photo credit: Saara Kantele + Hector Grønborge 2022