Art About Place Archive: Issue 10

Sanctuary Salon, Part III

The notion of sanctuary – both physical and psychological – has been fundamental in shaping a sense of selfhood and social identity throughout human history. Seeking to address these issues and ideas, FOR-SITE Foundation launched exhibition Sanctuary and invited 36 artists from 21 different countries to design contemporary rugs reflecting on sanctuary, offering visitors a multiplicity of perspectives on the basic human need for refuge, protection, and sacred ground. 

Echoing the project’s ethos of plurality, the Sanctuary Salon series—a cornerstone of the Sanctuary’s public programming—wove together the voices of local artists whose practices span creative disciplines, including spoken word, music, dance, and performance. Invited guests presented and performed new or existing works that resonated with the thesis of the exhibition, allowing visitors to engage with and reflect on these themes in new and compelling ways.