Mandorla (Iris I, Iris II) 2008

Regine Schumann created these striking objects, "Mandorla (Iris I, Iris II)," which draw on a powerful, ancient symbol. The mandorla—an almond-shaped aureola formed by the intersection of two circles—is a motif laden with history. In early Christian art, it often frames Christ or the Virgin Mary, representing a sacred, liminal space between heaven and earth. Think of Byzantine mosaics, where Christ in Majesty is invariably set within this radiant form. Yet, the symbol's roots stretch back further. The vesica piscis, the shape created by the overlap, was known in ancient geometry and associated with fertility and the divine feminine. Schumann’s use of vibrant, glowing color amplifies this sense of otherworldly presence. The mandorla becomes a vessel for our own projections, tapping into a collective memory of the sacred and the mystical. This ancient symbol resurfaces, evolved, and takes on new meanings, reminding us of the cyclical nature of symbols.