Thesis Part IV: The Acting Body
graduate academic work
_the apparatus
A piece of furniture is conceived of as “The Apparatus for Prayer”; a wooden prayer platform accompanied with a set of refined liturgical instruments which not only engage the senses of the one who is praying, but amplifies the ritualistic nature of the routine. Conceived of as a work which would reside in one’s home as mundane as a coffee table or ottoman, The Apparatus seeks a method of imbuing the classic Islamic prayer carpet into the space of dwelling.
Methodology
The space of prostration, mapped and measured in parts 01 & 02, act as the primary framework of design. A curated collection of liturgical items are then investigated, as a skill set for making is acquired. The observed list of items is as follows:
(1) The prayer mat - a surface
(2) The incense (holding and burning) - to engage the sense of smell
(3) The compass - an orienting device towards the Islamic Qiblah (to face towards the holy centre Makkah)
(4) The water vessel - for the 8 step washing ablation before praying
(5) The Quran (holy book) -
(6) The Tasbih (rosary) - for the post-prayer remembrances
(7) The Sutra - to demarcate the divine space
~ more to come ~
