"THREADS OF WISDOM" An interactive art installation
The opening of "Threads of Wisdom" corresponds with the official opening of The Salon at Gold Bug, a dedicated space for rotating art installations, bespoke events and ticketed affairs.
Opening Reception: September 5th, 5pm-9pm
Show Closing: October 31st, 20205
Please Call for a viewing 626-744-9963
The Ancient Greek proclamations of the Delphic Oracle hang suspended on vibrant red yarn in The Salon at Gold Bug. Each visitor to the space will be encouraged to remove one slip of paper, an actual proclamation recorded from the Temple of Apollo, to bring away from the experience. By reaching out and choosing a maxim at random, participants pull timeless guidance from the past into the present moment. The visible red yarn symbolizing the invisible thread which links all seekers of truth across time and space, acting as a reminder that wisdom is both personal and shared.
HISTORY AND INTENTION
The Delphic Maxims, also known as the Delphic Mandates or Commandments, are a series of concise Ancient Greek phrases that symbolized ancient wisdom and ethical principles of that time. These phrases were inscribed at the Temple of Apollo at Delphi, one of the most significant religious sites of antiquity, and spread throughout the ancient world via pilgrims to the site. They are found inscribed on architectural elements as far away as Afghanistan and Turkey.
The Delphic Maxims were not only used in the religious context of Delphi, but had a broader application in ancient Greek society as well. The principles they contained found application in education, philosophy, politics and the daily lives of people, serving as a spiritual and ethical framework of reference. The ancient Greeks’ admiration for these maxims displayed at the Oracle of Delphi was so great that the lyric poet Pindar (522 BC) considered the seven sages, sons of Helios, who with their radiance illuminated and guided mankind on the path of virtue.
In this installation, over 100 Delphic Maxims hang suspended on vibrant red yarn, inviting each visitor to take a thread of timeless guidance home with them. By reaching out and choosing a maxim at random, participants weave themselves into a ritual of reflection and connection—pulling the whispers of the past into the present moment. The visible red yarn symbolizing the invisible thread which links all seekers of truth across time and space, acting as a reminder that wisdom is both personal and shared. Through this simple, tactile act, ancient words become living inspiration, guiding the participant on a unique journey toward insight and meaning.
In 1901, F.W. Hasluck published a "curious collection of apho-
risms" which he had found on a stone of the 3rd cent. B.C. excavated
at the site of Miletopolis (near Cyzicus, Asia Minor).
This installation engages spectators through an embodied and relational experience rooted in phenomenology and relational aesthetics. By inviting visitors to physically take a Delphic maxim suspended on vibrant red yarn, the installation activates a direct, sensory encounter with ancient wisdom—transforming passive observation into an intimate, performative act.
The red yarn functions as both a literal and metaphorical thread, weaving individual perception with collective cultural memory. This interplay cultivates a shared space of meaning-making, where visitors become co-creators of the artwork through their unique interpretations and actions. Drawing from phenomenology, the installation foregrounds lived experience and presence, emphasizing how meaning arises from the encounter between observer, object, and context.
In the spirit of relational aesthetics, “Threads of Wisdom” fosters community and dialogue, encouraging the exchange of insights as maxims travel from hand to hand. The tactile act of choosing a maxim creates a temporal link, connecting past philosophical thought with contemporary personal reflection—cultivating an ongoing, evolving network of human connection and understanding.
In ancient Greek Minoan culture, red columns were not only architectural supports but also carried symbolic meanings of strength, vitality, and sacred connection. Applying this symbolism to your installation, the red yarn can be seen as a modern embodiment of these ancient pillars—each thread representing a support column of wisdom that upholds the structure of human understanding and shared cultural heritage.
The red yarn, like the Columns of Minos, becomes a visual and tactile anchor, symbolizing endurance, protection, and life force running through the installation. Each maxim hanging from the red yarn is thus supported by a symbolic pillar of knowledge and strength, inviting visitors to engage with wisdom that is both foundational and living.
The installation’s purpose expands into a ritualistic space of empowerment and connectivity, where the red threads echo the powerful legacy of ancient civilizations—the pillars supporting society’s moral and philosophical frameworks. Visitors taking a maxim from the red yarn are not just choosing words, but connecting with the enduring strength and sacred continuity represented by those red columns.
*Thank you to Dr. Armida Ayala for your insight and our discussions on this topic :)
