Unity Totem

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Inkjet print, wood and metal frame, 226X174 cm <br> © Kris Graves
1 Unity Totem
written by Kida Noyman <br> designed by Marek Polewski
2 Manifest of the Heart

The word “Totem,” which was borrowed from the Ojibwa language, denotes an object, often taking the form of an animal, that serves as an emblem for a particular clan. Passed down from generation to generation, the totem can serve as a point of connection with ancestors as well as with the forces of nature. To create this work, Azoulay sifted through the collections of the Jewish Museum and identified roughly twenty objects, most created by Jewish communities in various parts of the Arab world, including her ancestral homeland of Morocco. She researched and incorporated these items, which are ritual and amulet objects, into this imagined composite. Suspended from a green hat that smokes like a cone of incense, they seem to spin, the centrifugal force propelling their spiritual essence outwards into the world. The work was activated by two master healers, Homaya Amar and Kida Noyman, who were each asked to meditate on the work and its objects to enhance their spiritual energy. The inscriptions at the top and bottom of the piece resulted from Kida Noyman’s activation, as well as a manifesto that urges visitors: “Let us leave behind the ancient narratives that have enabled violence and instead embark on a process of personal and collective transformation.”