Infinite – Sky Rose Study


This project is a study of E. Fay Jones’ Sky Rose Chapel in Whittier, California. I was drawn to the building’s interior. It inspired me to look inward, to contemplate the nature of life, my place in the outer world, and the universe beyond. My photographs aim to capture transcendental quality of the architectural design in this jewel of a building.

The striking feature of the design is the "disconnected connectors," a network of crisscrossing bracings that span the ceiling. At the heart of this complicated feature is a simple pattern. Through the seemingly unending repetition and variation of this simple pattern arises a complex network, which is entirely abstract yet recalls the organic and natural world. It reminded me of Bach’s music, and that we are part of a larger whole.

Light plays an essential role in how space inside the building is perceived. There are windows on all four sides of the building, including a large skylight that spans the ceiling. What one sees, and how one experiences the building, changes with the passage of light. Each given moment brings unique impressions. Light disturbs the symmetries and creates a sense of continuity between the inside and outside. Time stops, giving way to the infinite.



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