Catherine's Wheel

This multimedia video seeks to explore the paradox of spiritual ascension: the only way to reveal the light in the center of the sculpture, the performer must interrupt their ascent and bend down to pull up a breaking wheel. This deliberate, downward motion prompted by the gap in the steps, questions the framework of enlightenment, particularly the Catholic tradition where sainthood is often achieved through sacrifice. Among the more famous of these stories is that of Saint Catherine of Alexandria, who moments before being tortured on a breaking wheel, was saved by divine intervention, only to later be beheaded. By referencing the story of Saint Catherine and the martyrs, the piece contrasts the upward climb of ascension with the downward pull of sacrifice, ultimately asking: Is it possible to ascend without leaving something behind?