Piazza Bellini, Madonna and Child with Crown and Scepter, From the Sacred Altars Series, Naples, Italy, 2019, Limited Edition 1 of 6 Photograph

This altar is located in a busy intersection of several streets in the historic center of the city of Naples at one of the important main piazzas of the city, Piazza Bellini. The scale of this altar is impressive, creating a prominent presence in the public space. The balcony we see above is accessible by a stone staircase located immediately behind the rotunda. The outdoor edicole sacre (sacred altars) are found in every city in Italy, on the corners of city streets, in the middle of narrow neighborhood streets, at crossroads on rural roads, or on the edge of a field. My work currently takes place specifically in Naples, Italy. The photographs depict the intersection between public and private space, and the integration of worship into the daily life of the community. These altars are built by the people that live in the neighborhood. The original photograph is meticulously printed with the highest quality archival inks on museum grade archival paper (100% acid free, cotton rag) to show the incredible detail inherent in this original work of art, and is shipped with a hand signed and numbered certificate of authenticity by the artist Lamia Khorshid.