“Mosaic of the Apostles” is a contemporary reimagining of the ancient mosaic floor discovered in Jerash, Jordan — a 1,500-year-old Byzantine masterpiece depicting the Apostles in geometric, symbolic arrangement. Rather than reproduce the original imagery, this mixed-media collage reconstructs the emotional and sensory impact of standing before it: the quiet reverence, the subtle shimmer of stone tesserae, the archaeological stillness, and the way sacred spaces activate the body’s deeper sense of memory.
Layered paper-mâché, torn fragments, salvaged textures, and mineral pigment echo the tactile irregularities of ancient mosaic work. The surface carries both the fragility and endurance of early Christian art — imperfect edges, shifting tones, soft geometry, and the sense of time embedded within every fragment. The warm earth palette references the limestone and sandstone tesserae used throughout the region, while the structural arrangement nods to the circular and radial patterns of early Byzantine design.
For a neurodivergent mind, standing before such an ancient artifact is a sensory convergence: the granular texture becomes almost sonic, the muted colors vibrate, and the space feels simultaneously sacred and intimate. This piece archives that internal experience — the feeling of being connected to centuries of devotion, artistry, ritual, and shared human history.
As part of the Sensory Archives series, “Mosaic of the Apostles” anchors the project within archaeological time. It affirms that place-based memory is not only modern or geographic, but spiritual and ancestral. The work becomes both a tribute to Byzantine artisans and an emotional reconstruction of the moment of encounter — a sacred whisper preserved through contemporary material language.
