"Sacred Space" is a multimedia exhibition created by more than 50 art students working to promote cross-cultural, interfaith dialogue and awareness of our endangered natural environment.

The Ulrich Museum’s Amsden Gallery will be transformed into a "global village" garden April 4 through Aug. 6.

Painted portals (doorways) on the walls of the enclosed garden will be inspired by the religious architecture of eight world religions. There are five major world religions represented: Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism. The three remaining portals are inspired by indigenous religions and cultures: Native Americans of arctic and sub-arctic North America, Tukanoans of the Amazon rainforest of South America, and Ashanti of Ghana in western Africa.

The portal designs were submitted by students and alumni of WSU’s decorative and ornamental painting certificate program directed by Diane Thomas Lincoln, assistant professor of painting and drawing. School of Art and Design faculty helped judge 22 maquettes from which eight were selected for the exhibition. Teams of volunteer carpenters and artists are helping the winning designers build the full-scale portals. Students are designing the garden walls and entryway.

The portals frame murals of endangered animals and habitats from around the world, says Kathy Hull, co-director of the "Sacred Space" exhibition and visual resources curator for WSU’s art history program.

"The destruction of natural habitats by our expanding human population is resulting in the extinction of vast numbers of species," Hull says. "Rainforest habitats are especially at risk. Unlike temperate forests, a rainforest cannot simply be replanted. More than 100 years are required to develop the complex inter-dependant relationships of a rainforest."

A carpet painted to look like marble and mosaic flooring will be placed in the center of the garden. The overall design for the carpet is a labyrinth pattern, designed by Hull, with borders of classical ornamental motifs and insets of sacred animals from various cultures.

The labyrinth is a symbol of the journey from the everyday world to the world of spirit, Hull says.

Cheryl Lindstrom’s advanced painting class at Northeast High School is painting the labyrinth with instruction from Lincoln. Visitors are invited to walk the labyrinth path in "Sacred Space."

Thousands of paper birds and animals, made according to the Japanese art of paper folding called origami, will hang from the ceiling. In Japan there is a tradition of folding 1,000 paper cranes as a gift for someone in special need of healing, Hull says.

"Thousands of paper cranes, representing thousands of prayers for healing, are currently being sent to the sites of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11," Hull says. "The cranes and other animals in ‘Sacred Space’ are offered as a prayer for the healing of our endangered environment."

Jennifer Walterscheid’s seventh grade art students from Holy Cross Lutheran School are contributing the origami animals for the exhibition.

Educational materials and guided tours will be available to help visitors of all ages appreciate the complex issues addressed by the exhibition. Interns are working with Annette LeZotte, assistant professor of art history, and Angie Miller, education coordinator at the Ulrich Museum, to create a program of educational opportunities.

The museum also is looking for individuals to serve as docents (tour guides) for the "Sacred Space" exhibition. If you are interested, please contact Miller.

– Compiled by Julie Rausch