Offerings

Contemporary Artist Sara Roitman is the Edge of Humanity Magazine contributor of this photo essay. From the project ‘Ex Votes’. To see Sara’s body of work, click on any image.

EX VOTES is an offering that the ancients made to their gods. These offerings were deposited in sanctuaries or places of worship and could consist of figurines representing people or animals, weapons, food, etc. The offer of Ex Votes has it origin in the Egyptian and Mesopotamian civilizations. Subsequently, the symbol was taken by Catholicism and the vote became an offering left by the faithful who had received a gift or healing as an offering and memory.

My work was done during the Holy week celebration in the Santo Tomas Parish, in Alangasi Ecuador. This celebration is characterized by devils and white souls. The white souls are represented by their white turbans from 3 to 5 meters high and they constitute a group of 12 men. The white souls wears a white robe which at the height of the chest they wear a red or gold heart embroidered and adorned with rhinestones and gold made figures. The dress is attached to the waist with a white cord, under the tunic of a petticoat with several layers of white lace. The costume also includes white gloves and a short sword in the right hand.

The ancients of Alangasi proposed these manifestations that were called popular religiosity, that is, culture in religion or religion in culture, as a link. Religion is put by the priest and the cultural, ancestral and traditional part is put by the people.

As an artist I have a deep interest in aesthetics and representations derived from rites. A gesture that says it all.