Bearing Witness: Praise House
The “Praise House” is an open-air sculpture meant for contemplation, evoking the rituals of enslaved people who often retreated into brush arbors for quiet worship and meditation. It features reclaimed materials from the site and region, such as stained glass and Sylacauga marble, and its centerpiece is a steel-cut image of Scotts Grove Baptist Church, casting ethereal sun shadows throughout the year.
“I choose to interpret the site of the plantation through a lens of acknowledgment of African-American craft mastery, spiritual foundation origins, and family. I look at the house and witness the carpentry skills on display. I would consider how the plantation is a reminder of the hands of the enslaved in this monument to that time. ”