Based on the writings of Santa Teresa de Jesus, XVI century spanish mystic. In her seminal work The Interior Castle or Las Moradas (The Mansions), she is inspired by her vision of the soul as a crystal globe in the shape of a castle containing seven mansions, which she interpreted as the journey of faith through seven stages, ending with union with God. “Let us imagine, as I said, that there are many rooms in this castle, of which some are above, some below, others at the side; in the centre, in the very midst of them all, is the principal chamber in which God and the soul hold their most secret intercourse”.

I traced seven concentric circles on the floor: chalk, earth and blood. Entered the space in an immaculate white dress with a four meter long trail, proceeded to clean each circle on my knees with thirteen buckets of water placed in a spiral. Each material presented itself with its own particular characteristics, the blood was extremely difficult to clean and became an emotional and physical task on its own. Soaked in blood, earth and chalk I undressed placing the dress in a cross in the middle of the last circle and violently proceed to purify and brush my body, flesh pink and raw, I then drank milk from a bucket, poured it on my body, lay on the cross while my breath filled the space… Passage, redemption, stillness, born again. I stood; another bucket of cold water cascaded on my naked flesh as I passed through the last door of consciousness and exited the room. I was barefoot the whole time.

Dress: designed by Enrique Gonzalez Rangel EGR

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