Spirit House

The overall installation is concerned with the human spirit, and much of the decoration on the building links to African religious traditions that traveled along with enslaved Africans via the Middle Passage and established roots in the New World. Decorated tree branches and bottle trees are of Central African origin. Benevolent spirits are invited to remain in the house while guarding against evil spirits. Bottle trees were also set up at African and African American cemeteries and continue to be seen in the South. Conch shells are frequently found in Haitian cemeteries where they symbolize the spirit and its link to nature.