Home -Altars have always stopped a central place in my home life, not as religious relics, but as deeply personal spaces that anchor me in the middle of changes and challenges. To move from the state to college, move internationally and then through the requirements of a rapid career to navigate-and the transition was somewhat easier due to the presence of an altar. These sacred rooms offer grounding, a feeling of at home when it is far from the confidante, and a connection to the people, memories and objects that are most important.
Due to my experience, I came at home as more than static representations. They are always developing rooms that reflect my emotions, intentions and my personal growth. To understand how others approach altar production, I spoke to three designers: Laura Kirar, Josué Ramos Espinoza and Mike Diaz. Everyone offered a clear perspective to create and curate altars, shaped by their cultural heritage, creative practices and personal philosophies.
What impressed me in these conversations was the harmonious mix of design, meaning and healing in altar production. Whether inspired by the seasons or with the intention of keeping energy, these altars create spaces for reflection, connection and restoration and deepen our bond with ourselves and the world around us.
Her findings show how altars are used as vessels for healing, artistic expression and storytelling and effortlessly woven into the rhythms of everyday life. Like my own, their altars are not just collections of objects, but in -depth reflections of their travels – from which they are where they were and where they go.
A seasonal approach of the design
When Laura Kirar moved to her 300-year-old Hacienda in Mexico for the first time, the artist and designer considered an old chapel in a bedroom. However, during the renovation work, the workers who have been uncovered remains under the chapel floor. “The discovery of these remains completely shifted my perspective,” she recalls. “Instead of covering up the room, I knew that I had to honor him in a way that respected his story.”