WHEN the Bermuda National Gallery, artist Kendra Ezekiel and the Corporation of Hamilton open Prayers in the Wind to the public at the end of this month, it will perhaps, be recognised as the island's largest single piece of art created by a group. When completed, the installation will see flags inscribed with prayers and wishes from over 1,000 members of the community suspended from the front portico of the City Hall. Inspired by a Tibetan ritual, Ms Ezekiel, designed the project as a means of illustrating the connection between the arts and prayer. This week, photographer TONY CORDEIRO and reporter HEATHER WOOD sat down with the artist to discuss rituals, religions and her latest project.

Q: I understand your inspiration for Prayers in the Wind came from a Tibetan ritual?

A: The idea came to mind from different ideas (I had) on art. We have a multi-cultural community filled with different religious groups, but I think what connects us are our rituals. Art is a ritual in that it expresses our feelings, thoughts and beliefs; prayer is also one. Most religions practise prayer; individuals express their spirit through prayer. I presented this project as a means of expressing prayer as a ritual and an art form. In order to make the connection between the two, I used as my inspiration, Tibetan prayer flags - flags which the Tibetans use to put their prayers out in the wind, in the landscape and on their doorways.

Q: So they write down their prayers instead of voicing them as many religions do?

A: They don't write them down. The installation is an adaptation of that idea. The prayers the Tibetans release are already printed. Theirs are standard prayers to different deities which they put out in the wind and the belief is that the wind carries the messages of the prayers around the world for the goodwill of all mankind; of all living creatures. I thought it was a beautiful sentiment, related it to our own ritual of kite flying on Good Friday, and adapted the idea for this project.

Q: Is there a message you hope to get across with it?

A: The installation was designed for an exhibition that was questioning art and looking for new directions in art. I thought the direction art needed to go in Bermuda, was to embrace a wider audience; something that would relate art to our everyday lives - it's something that's pretty much evident in other cultures. What I hope to show the public is that art has a social significance and a spiritual one as well. I'm trying to create a broader audience for art and show its relevance to our lives and also to show something in a public space. Normally you have to go inside a gallery to see art or inside somebody's home. I wanted to show something that was in a public space, that was accessible, that one didn't have to pay for it; something that was not a commodity. The flag represents one's personal space; it represents one's individual, personal thoughts and the idea is to create a sanctum in a public space.

Q: Do you find it similar to your own work as an artist?

A: The work that I do, I think, touches on social comment and spiritual comment as well. It's not painting so it has, I think, a mixed appeal. It's not solely for a market. (Similarly), the installation piece shows that art is not necessarily something that's a collector's item. It's about exploring art in a social context; as a public art. And because of that, I'm inviting the public to participate.

Q: You 've mentioned about religion and its rituals. Do you follow the tenants of any religion?

A: I don't subscribe to any particular religion. I probably have been shaped by my Methodist upbringing, but I do find affinity with Buddhists in their practice. (Laugh) I think art is my religion.

Q: I understand that you're not an artist in the traditional sense - you don't produce paintings or drawings - you're actually a papermaker. How did that come about?

A: I studied fine art in England. In Exeter at the College of Art and Design. I used to have a ritual where I would do a drawing every day just to get my energy flowing and I used to use some really wonderful handmade paper. When I came back to Bermuda after my studies, the supplies weren't available to me and so I decided to try and make my own handmade paper. And here I am, about ten years later, still making paper and exploring (that); because it is an art form in itself.

Q: Did you find it difficult to transfer your skills to Bermuda's environment and, relatively, limited supplies?

A: I sort of created my own process from all the different methods that I'd learned. I adapted it to the space I work in, the climate I work in. I make paper from plant material that I can find on the island, I've also had a friend grow, just recently, a tree for me that's been used in making washi - the Japanese paper used to make kites with.

Q: I can't imagine there are many traditional papermakers in Bermuda. Do you find it difficult to be so interested in something and not have peers in your field close by?

A: I've joined a community of papermakers; a small group of people who are papermakers from around the world. And I've travelled with research paper historians who do tours of different parts of the world. We share our knowledge and it's a good way to meet people who have similar interests. I've met some really interesting people. I met an American man who has lived in Japan for the past 20 years.

He lives in a Shinto temple and has grown all of his own trees to make paper. It's a different life but what's interesting is that although he's been there for 20 years, he still doesn't know how to make Japanese paper like the Japanese do. (The Japanese) don't necessarily let out their secrets so easily, especially to a foreigner, but even if you're Japanese. Apprentices spend the first three years sweeping the floors before they can even touch the vat. They have a reverence for the artform. You have to prove yourself first, before you can reach the next stage.

Q: Have you travelled much with them?

A: I try to fit in my travels with the education side of my work. I've travelled to Thailand and Burma and China and have been influenced by their rituals and the connections with paper making and their religious rituals. For instance, in Burma, I visited a village that makes a special type of paper from bamboo. It takes three years for them to make this paper. The entire process is all done by hand. They soak the bamboo in lime for three years.

When it's softened, they beat it for 15 days by hand. The paper isn't used to write on it's used to beat gold leaf on. The gold leaf strengthens the paper - much like plastic does - and they then apply the gold leaf to the Buddhas in the temple as an offering; for their merit to the afterlife. You get a sense, when they're making the paper and beating the gold leaf, that it's also a part of their religious practice. It's also an offering.

Q: Where do you make your paper?

A: I have a studio in St. George's underneath the Historical Museum. People can come in and see what's happening. They can watch me and get their hands wet too although I don't seem to have much time for the studio right now.

Q: And it's because the Bermuda National Gallery knew of that talent that you were invited to create the installation?

A: Because of my interest in papermaking, I started to look at different art forms using paper which led me to a lot of Asian practices, for instance oragami, kite making, chifu, screens, lamps, you know? And (today), that's the basis of my work. Usually I've worked in mixed media - using different materials in a sculptural way - which led me to do some installation work, which is why the gallery invited me to participate in this exhibition (which focused on) exploring new directions in art.

Q: Were you familiar with the Tibetan ritual? Have you been to Tibet?

A: I was planning to go this summer to try and do a research tour on papermaking but (with all that's going on in Asia at the moment), I don't think now is a good time. I think they've quarantined the country. So I've put it on the backburner. I was interested in Asian cultures because of my interest in paper making and studying and travelling abroad and gained (my knowledge of the ritual) through reading and research. It's not just about me. This is not a new form of art. It's been done in other places internationally and it's just something that hasn't been done here yet.

Q: You say you've adapted the ritual. What form is the installation going to take?

A: The flags will be installed in the front portico of City Hall, suspended from the ceiling using approximately 112 pieces of rope. It's a site-specific installation. It was created with the space at City Hall in mind. The flags won't be installed until May 29 although we're having participation days today and tomorrow.

We're providing all the material. (Members of the public only) need to come and write something. We'll have a team of people working at the same time, stitching the flags on to a rope. The idea is also to have a community project, where people can work together and have a sense of pride that (the installation is something) they created. We're asking that the prayers be anonymous although they won't be able to be read once they're up as they're going to be above eye level.

Q: I understand that you've had some responses already?

A: The minimum flags required to complete the vision is 1,000 flags - which means 1,000 participants. I thought a good way to achieve that would be to invite school children to participate and 500 have participated already - and so I went to visit the classes to introduce the project and the idea and help them out writing the prayers.

Each class and each teacher - because there were homeroom teachers, language art teachers and there were art teachers who took on the project - approached it quite differently.

Hence the prayers, and the results, are quite different. Some of them emphasise more of the language art, some of them have actually been illustrated. And, as I've gone from Primary to Senior school, there are different age groups that will be represented.

Q: How old are you?

A: 32

Q: Are you married?

A: No. Not yet.

Q: Outside of your work as an artist, are you employed?

A: I do other work too. I aspire to be a full-time artist but it's not easy. I waitress two nights a week to pay the rent. I also have two sides to my papermaking. I do use it in creating my artwork but I also have another side to it - firstly, for financial reasons and secondly, because it's a method for me to experiment - I make invitations and cards.

It's a good way for me to experiment with different fibres and to explore different surfaces, qualities and textures and patterns. Although I don't actually do the printing, you can print on the paper I make.

Q: Explain your fascination with paper.

A: I think in the technological age that we live in, it's amazing that we're still using paper. For some reason it has shaped how we view the world. The first bible, I think, came about through paper (being invented). I'm interested in it as a medium in that it is used to translate messages and I think that's what (the installation) project is about.

Q: Did your mother think you were crazy when you decided to ignore the traditional workforce opportunities?

A: I've always been encouraged by my mother. That was never a problem.

Q: Any interests outside of travelling, art and paper? Any pets?

A: I don't have time for pets. I wish I had time. I do quite a bit of gardening. I share a plot with a friend in the community gardens in Paget. I grow vegetables. That's something I need to do to have a balance and to better understand how things grow and about the plant material you can use to make paper from vegetables.

Q: Your next project?

A: Something smaller. I've actually never shown on my own. I've always shown with a small group of people or in a membership so that's probably going to be my next step - a solo show.

Prayers in the Windwill be officially installed in the front portico of City Hall on May 30 and will remain on exhibit until September.