Hand Reliquary

This piece is my very personal interpretation of the hand-shaped reliquaries so common in Catholic churches across Europe, through the centuries. It depicts my own hand; and is filled with empty crab shells, a material with resonance for me because I grew up near the ocean, and as I child I’d collect crab shells when I went for walks along the shore.

I chose to cover the ‘window’ in the arm with mica, a transparent element that, when found in its natural state, is formed in layers. Micah is reputed to have reflective qualities that increase a person’s ability to look at another person’s flaws — and to still see them with love.