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 The inflatable chapel opened at the University of Southern California in August.
August 31st, 2011
01:33 PM ET
Artist behind inflatable chapel aims to redefine sacred spaceBy Rosalina Nieves, CNN Los Angeles, California (CNN) - At first glance, the blown-up plastic bags affixed to a jungle gym-like frame residing in a University of Southern California courtyard looks like a piece of public art, pure and simple. But the structure's creator says it’s something more: a sacred place for people of all faiths. He calls it an inflatable chapel. “I wanted to create a spiritual structure, so I combined every symbolic piece of religion and geometrically combined them to represent them in this chapel,” says Gail Peter Borden, an architect and assistant professor at the USC School of Architecture who designed the structure.
Borden, an Episcopalian who says he's not very religious, wants to redefine notions of sacred space. He says his love for architecture, art and religion inspired him to create the chapel, which is made of aluminum electrical conduit and translucent vinyl plastic. Though it bears little resemblance to a traditional chapel, Borden says it connects visitors to a higher being, whoever that being may be. “The focal point of this chapel is on the inside,” he says. “You get up in the middle of it, and you look up and see the way the light comes in, the symmetrical shapes that surround the opening. Everyone will have their own experience.” Reverend Jim Burklo, Associate Dean of Religious Life at USC, says he learned about Borden when a local paper ran story profiling an earlier inflatable chapel that he crafted. That chapel resembled an igloo. Burklo thought an inflatable chapel at the university would provoke students’ curiosity. USC commissioned the structure. “I want them to come here and have some experience of the sacred dimension of life,” Burklo says. “It can be just whimsy, like ‘that is weird’ or ‘that is a funny looking thing.’” Many students echoed that sentiment in their initial reactions. “If someone hadn’t told me it was a chapel, I would have never guessed it,” said Daniel Doran, a sophomore at USC. “It’s interesting.” Doran doesn’t affiliate with any religion but said he might return to the chapel again. Still, he was skeptical of experiencing a spiritual connection. Burklo hopes the chapel offers students like Doran have a chance to step out of their usual way of looking at the world, to experience something spiritual, even if they don’t describe it as a religious experience. “This is a visual experience that helps them express that and feel that, that side of themselves,” he says. The chapel will stay in the courtyard of USC’s religious center until December. Borden says he then plans to reconfigure the chapel into a new design and is considering other sites for it. “It’s not meant to be here or anywhere forever,” Burklo said. “That’s also an expression of spirituality, fluid change.”
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When I see these chapels in Vegas, then I will believe they have a future.
Whatever the reason for the structure it just looks plain stupid.
Jf
Whatever the reason for the structure it just looks plain stupid.
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Perhaps the word you are looking for is boring. The more I look at it, the more I have to laugh. I seriously hope Gail Peter Borden does not consider themself an artist. Perhaps Gail Peter Borden will take some art courses???
It also looks irritating. I mean, look, that one balloon is hanging down in the middle of the walkway. Can you imagine having to walk through that to go to class? How many times do you have to knock it out of the way?
Judging from the picture, this "chapel" is in the middle of a walkway. Seems like forcing religion upon any passers-by. Keep your boogie monster stuff behind closed doors where the enlightened folks don't have to witness such an effrontery to logic.
"The chapel will stay in the courtyard of USC’s religious center until December. Borden says he then plans to reconfigure the chapel into a new design and is considering other sites for it."
Nope. It's in the religious center.
Looking at his current design (lack of creativity) I am guessing he is headed to a long career at designing strip malls and public restrooms.
Another site for it that immediately springs to kind is the scrap heap!
how utterly appropriate. Air filled chapel with air headed followers.
What the...that's not a chapel. It looks like a metal spider with garbage bags on it.
Looks like a pe nis is sitting on top of it at an angle.
The artist deserves an F for lack of creativity.
And to top it off got air time on CNN...no pun intended. Pathetic
Did the artist come up with this idea in 15 minutes? Did they spend anytime REALLY thinking about it?
Prolly watched their kid playing with an erector set and then dropped a balloon on it. Viola. "Art."
DamianKnight
Prolly watched their kid playing with an erector set and then dropped a balloon on it. Viola. "Art."
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People like the one who created this make the rest of us artists look bad.
Not sure you can teach real creativity. Perhaps he should stick to the drafting table.
Art is one of the most subjective things out there. I see so many "classic" pieces and I'm like, "Why is that worth so much? It's ugly!"
...like the Michelin man dove through scaffolding. Does anyone see the symbols he claimed to incorporate into the structure?
Sure. Where else would a person go to marry an inflatable doll?!?
The Church of Quagmire.
I think the basic point behind a chapel is to protect one's self and sacred relics from the elements while engaged in religious activities.
God is full of hot air?
I wonder if I could put one of those up on my land so I wouldn't have to pay taxes as a church?
The "Temporariness" of said chapel/temple is how our temple-framed bodies are. Mankind's individuals are here for but a brief moment and fasionably gone in an instant of Time.
Are inflatable chapels a good idea? Let's see... An inflatable woman beats an inflatable chapel any day.
It would be a better idea were he to fill it with helium.
Probably more congruent with the Bibles original definition of a place of worship.It says right there in the text not to build Crystal Towers & Golden Idols.
But that is thiesm for you hypocracy pure and simple.
This assistant professor needs to go back and take Architecture 101 again.
Sorry that is not a chapel in anyone eyes.
this artist has too much "space" between it's ears....
maniacmudd
this artist has too much "space" between it's ears....
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Not sure I would consider them an artist if that was the best design they could come up with. lol
Chapels filled with hot air? Sounds appropriate to me.
Catholics in Italy, for the past three years, have been able to visit inflatable chapels at some beaches. Inside these sand castles, priests will hear confession and nuns recite the rosary. But Mass is held outdoors on a temporary altar.
Bouncy castle!
The god is infla-table too, and deflates with just a pinpri-ck of reason, as with all the rest of them.
Very fitting.