Janine Antoni

My waters rest, 2019

Mixed media gilded with 24 karat gold leaf

26 3/8 x 18 3/8 x 1 3/4 inches (67 x 46.67 x 4.45 cm)

Commissioned by The Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, NY.

© Janine Antoni; Courtesy of the artist, Luhring Augustine, New York, and Anthony Meier Fine Arts, San Francisco
Photo: Christopher Burke

“My waters rest” is an image of Antoni’s mother’s hands in prayer. Two ghostly legs appear under the water.

The artist drags the finger bones of the hand, framing this moment of stillness. She imitates an old fashioned oval frame used specifically for mirrors, designed for private moments of reflection. She wonders: Could we think of contemporary prayer as a time to leave our busy lives to become still and reflect inward? 

Physiologically, the touching of palms encourages a state of reflection; the two hemispheres of the brain integrate, bringing one into wholeness.

What happens to the mind when the body becomes still? For some, it is an encounter with unconscious risings, and for others, it is an encounter with spirit. With dedication, if we’re able to remain still long enough, we open into our own interiority. Eventually, we drop into the still point where we bear witness to our whole self.

“The water flows over me.  The water reflects in me. I mirror the water.  My waters rest.”

“My waters rest” was a part of “I am fertile ground” at Green-Wood Cemetery.