Cat La Fey is a Romanian Creative Director and Holistic Designer currently based in Mexico City. At the intersection of Cat's esoteric studies and design, the passion for creating ritual functional art came to life.
Her installations invite the audience into the act of contemplating the quality of inner and outer Sacred Spaces. In her latest work, Altara - Bringing the Temple Home, Cat deconstructed the idea of a traditional altar, and took conceptual leaps, rearranging pieces in entirely new, and thoroughly enlightening, ways, birthing a meditation device.
Q: What inspired you to create this piece, and how does it bridge the gap between art and function?
A: Altars are anchors for sacred space. They do not only shift environments, but they induce a state of presence and reverence. Our minds become calmer, and the quality of our thoughts is transmuted in their presence. We are instantly connected to the divine and reminded of our prayers, dreams and intentions. I reimagined the traditional altar as a dynamic piece of ritual functional art, designed to live in the home and guide daily rituals.
This work emerged from an inquiry into the intersection of ritual, embodiment, and aesthetics. I was drawn to the idea of art as an active participant in human experience rather than a static object of contemplation. By creating a piece that invites interaction—one that is both sculptural and instrumental—the intention was to dissolve the boundary between viewer and artwork, encouraging a dialogue between form, function, and meditative presence.
Q: Did any personal meditation or mindfulness practices influence the design and concept of your work?
A: My spiritual practice and 15 years of working in the healing arts have deeply informed this piece. The inspiration and technology behind Altara came during a past life regression. It was quite a profound experience to receive such level of detail.
I wanted to create a piece that does not merely reference mindfulness but actively facilitates it—an object that is both a site and a conduit for sensory engagement and deeper meditative state.
In November, the second part of the project will come to life – a meditation oracle deck inspired by the materials used in Altara and the unseen components that contribute to the act of ritual. The oracle will function as a bridge to the piece, opening a doorway to 44 areas of spiritual practice. Participants will be able to engage with the piece and immerse themselves in daily guided meditations, breathwork practices, self-hypnosis, among others.
I am grateful for my collaboration with an incredible team of artists in the process of recording the meditations and creating the soundscapes.
Q: If your piece could communicate a single emotion or state of mind, what would it be?
A profound quietude. Not silence, necessarily, but an intentional stillness—one that allows for a heightened perception of the body’s rhythms, introspection, creativity.
Q: How do the materials you chose contribute to the sensory or meditative experience of the piece?
Materiality plays a pivotal role in this work. The design incorporates copper, quartz, and water, circuits that are activated by the energy field of the human body are, facilitating an entry into deeper meditative and receptive states.
Intricate sacred geometry integrates with a minimalist design, blending ancient symbolism with contemporary aesthetics. At its center, a prayer box opens with a quartz key, amplifying intentions and encouraging reflection.
Q: How do you envision people engaging with your work? What kind of experience do you hope they have?
I am less interested in dictating engagement than in facilitating discovery. The piece is designed to reward slowness—to reveal its nuances through prolonged interaction. Ideally, the participant will approach it with curiosity, allowing their engagement to unfold intuitively. Whether through touch or mere presence, the work operates as a vessel for introspection.
Q: How does your piece fit into the broader conversation about mindfulness, well-being, or technology in art?
It engages with the contemporary dialogue surrounding art as an experiential and therapeutic medium. In an era dominated by digital interfaces and ephemeral consumption, I am interested in the reintroduction of slowness—of tactile, embodied engagement. This piece is a response to the increasing abstraction of human experience, offering a space for recalibration and sensory reawakening.
Q: Do you see this piece as a standalone work, or do you plan to explore this concept further in future projects?
My intention is that Altara will be integrated into immersive environments and interactive experiences that deepen engagement - in museums, ceremonial spaces, and conscious gatherings.
Building on the foundation of this original piece, future iterations will take on tailored forms that respond to different spaces, users and sensory experiences.
EXPLORE MORE:
Experience Altara at AMITY EXPERIENCE
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