Worshipping The Sky Gods
Worshipping the Sky Gods was part of George Town Festival, Penang in 2013. Working closely with the people of the neighborhood, I put images made at the Nine Emperor Gods Festival on Hong Kong St. in 2011, back on the street where I had made them, using the patina of the heritage buildings as a backdrop. The exhibit conveyed the transformation of everyday space into devotional arena, and the power of faith that inspires community. The installation reflected a combination of my interests in the manifestations of belief, concepts of sacred space and the preservation of intangible cultural heritage.
“Hoffmann’s installation… became a loving, if outsider, interpretation of a localized religious practice… Hoffmann created works that reveled in full public display and thrived upon community support… It is hoped that this example will be followed in upcoming festivals. To do this would indeed nurture community in the most unique and meaningful ways and help bring the inside out and outside in.”