Symbolically, the arch of a doorway spans time and history, marking the transition between the earthly and divine, whether in architecture, illuminated manuscripts, or carpet designs. Eleventh-century Persian theologian, philosopher, and mystic Al-Ghazzali likened this division to two gates in the heart: one opening outward to the material world, one opening inward, to inspiration. For his Sanctuary design, titled Makan (a sense of place), Ala Ebtekar incorporates arches, windows, and views of the cosmos, working with a fifteenth-century illumination of a divan by Persian poet Hafez and an image captured by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope’s Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS). Says the artist, “The piece provides a contemplative space where the personal psyche can connect with the cosmic spirit, where the earthly and the celestial can meet, and where ancient tradition can intersect with imaginings of the future.”
