Last Supper Table

Creating Meaning Through Craft

"Abir's work fundamentally provides the context to create a new reality. Collaboration extends beyond just the artist and is telegraphed through to the person that experiences the work. I respect the effort and skill that it took to create something that brought strangers together and was executed in such a beautiful way."

- Alexander Paschka, curator
"Abir brought together diverse people to participate in the final process of art making. I left a deeply personal message to my late grandmother. Something that I thought would never come out was now etched forever onto this surface. The profound intersection of deep grief, relief, and utter joy moved me in a way few experiences ever have. I was struck by Abir’s process, her thoughtfulness, her ability to deeply understand people and the power of art to build community, create safe spaces, and even help others to heal."

- Carolyn L., patron
"My message was "love your body for what it can do, not what it looks like." I am in recovery from over a decade of anorexia and love to spread that message. Thank you for giving me and others the chance to do that. The human suffering and joy documented on that table is incredibly powerful. What an incredible project."

- Ashley, participant
"One of the most memorable art experiences that I've ever had was the Last Supper Table dinner. To be able to inscribe a personal statement in the table, as a communal, shared experience, with food and drink was truly remarkable. In these divisive times we need more opportunities to bring people together for dialogue."

- Marc S., patron
"Looking around the table at dinner, an overriding thought came to mind and lingered. Warm, trusting, caring, engagements of conversation need not be incompatible with labored tolerances of precision. As I reflect ten years later, it is even clearer to me that a spiritual cornucopia of abundant conversation flowed in direct relation to the wealth of genuine attention to detail. The thoughtfully delicate placement of every stool and every piece of tableware added immensely to the all-embracing spirit of the occasion."

- Dr. Jim C, patron
"As a craftsman, the idea of releasing a finished product to the public to mark and carve with no restriction was a risk I could never imagine. Abir was able to push this symbolic gesture with so much clarity and conviction. As a result, it was my greatest relief. It allowed me to communicate a message to the world that I buried deep: "Barth Mattews. Betrayed. 2001" acknowledged the pain around the death of my brother. It was powerful to let go of some of that trauma."

- Andre, artist
"I will never forget the silent exchange between people. One marking in particular stands out. Someone declared, “Marriage is a gift." The next person questioned, "Marriage is a gift?" and the last person challenged, "Marriage is a <s>gift</s>?" It felt so incredibly human. It was just one example in a sea of thousands more. Now ten years later, the act of uncovering those messages is in process."

- Abir, artist

The Last Supper Table is a 30-foot handcrafted hardwood table inspired by the biblical story of the same name. It was initiated as an answer to a simple question, “What is the most epic table ever?,” and ultimately executed as an offering to others to record the human struggle with forgiveness and trust. Those closest to the project privately oiled, broke bread, and carved the first messages onto the table’s wooden surface. After it was installed publicly, over 10,000 museum visitors continued to contribute, imprinting a once flawless surface with a spectrum of human emotion and behavior. Nothing was left untouched from the apron to the underside and the legs to the thirteen stools accompanying the installation. At the end of the show, the table was intentionally stored away, awaiting its next life.

What it is.

So much life happens at a table. It is where people gather to eat, drink, work, plan, argue, and celebrate. We exchange and share happiness, sadness, sorrow, and hope. Tables can be bought new, passed down, or salvaged, passing through different places and eras across generations. The Last Supper Table gave anyone who touched it a symbolic voice. It became a physical record of the moments that might be too much to acknowledge silently to oneself or out loud to others. It allowed one to be vulnerable, courageous, and protected. Beyond marking the table was leaving that mark for others to bear witness. The Last Supper Table was a reminder that we are not alone. Ten years later, the project is re-emerging for its final act.

Why it matters.

Website

lastsuppertable.com

Date

2014

People

13 patrons; 10,000 participants

Place

Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts, Grand Rapids, Michigan

Team

Abir Ali, Andre Sandifer (artists); Joshua Smith (studio assistant); Smith Shop (metalsmithing); Iron Coast (documentary filmmaking); 3andathird (filmmaking) Guerrilla Food (farm-to-table dining)

Investment

$20,000

"They asked the public to carve a message about trust or forgiveness into the table, with the hopes of giving people a chance to get something off their chest. And many, many people did."

- Michigan Public Radio