Beautiful Necessity: The Art and Meaning of Women's Altars

by Kay Turner

In the most basic sense, an altar is a home for sacred images, a place for venerating and inviting the comfort, help, and companionship of the gods. But the amazing, dazzling, decorative, poignant, picturesque, inspiring, glowing, passionate altars in this book are not those of churches and temples, designed for the official worship of an omniscient god ceremoniously tended by a priest, rabbi, or minister. Instead, these places are the expression of the most intimate beliefs and fears, memories and dreams of women who are making new spiritual traditions from ancient ones--pagan, goddess, Celtic, Hindu, Buddhist, Catholic, Greek Orthodox. No one knows more about this remarkable efflorescence than Kay Turner, who has been exploring the subject for over twenty years since accidentally encountering the extraordinary altar of a Quiche Maya woman--described by its maker as a "beautiful necessity"--in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. Since then she has gathered abundant evidence of how this phenomenon grips women in the most diverse locations, from the studios of artists in New York, Detroit, and San Francisco to the kitchens of Mexican-American homes in Texas, from Mama Lola celebrating Afro-Caribbean gods in Brooklyn to a Wiccan priestess in California worshiping the goddess Aphrodite. The statues, flowers, pictures, photographs, drawings, amulets, pieces of shell, and bits of earth that are collaged together and reproduced here in color represent their makers' histories, beliefs, and desires. Turner draws out the personal stories that lie behind the altars and explains their appeal and significance for everyone.

Genres: Nonfiction, Art, Womens, Spirituality, Religion

176 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

Reviews

[kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

not too fond of some of the text, but some of the assemblages are amazing visually.

[Fpimentel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great information but reads like a thesis.

[Demetria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kay Turner did a great job of supplementing the clinical history collected on women’s altars with the modern, global perspectives of women who maintain this visually striking tradition. The personal narratives were truly the star of the entire book. Unfortunately, the true breadth of the history has been widely lost to time, but these stories gave color and texture to the expansive tradition of altar-making and altar-focused spirituality amongst women.

Turner interweaves these delicate, raw details collected from the experiences of her female subjects to convey the significance and application of altars in daily life. She did this in a way that made me forget that there were any limitations on what has been “officially” preserved. Instead, I realized that women have preserved their her-story so carefully within themselves and have even innovated new modes of using their altars to solve the qualms of modern life.

I began the book slightly despaired trying my best to reflect on the magnitude of substance and culture that has been lost to time, limitations imposed by patriarchy and migration. However, by the end of the book, I was replenished in optimism and pride of what not only has survived and transpired from our spiritual autonomy, but what can and will come in the future as our freedoms and resources expand.

I appreciated Turner’s ability to set a clear structure for the reader to explore facets of the traditions, purpose and uses of altars thoroughout the chapters. I especially loved that she touched upon the preserved legacies amongst generations of women in families. It gave a sense of credibility and reward that at least *something* has been preserved throughout the decades and ages. Although there were some admitted limitations to the majority of traditions of which those altars belonged to (e.g. Christian, catholic based altars - *still there are Afro-Caribean, East Asian, Latin American representations in there as well*), there’s preserved wisdom there that can inspire novice or experienced altar makers and curious minds from all beliefs to preserve and pass down their own practices. A must read for feminists, Goddess devotees, and any curious mind that wants to empathize with the spiritual dimension of women’s lives.

[l · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s a nice little book. It’s not my thing at all but I’m glad I skimmed through it.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely, jewel like examination of women's altars and private spiritual practice. The book is heavily illustrated and really rather lovely.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful work that shows the souls of women, and how they arrange their personal space to display what is important to them.

Many of the illustrations and texts focus on Mexican and Mexican-American women and their Catholic shrines/altars (this is what the author has studied the most), but there are also illustrations of Goddess, Celtic, African, Hindu, Buddhist, and Orthodox altars pictured in the book. The text is well written, but the pictures are definitely the highlight of the book.

[Tristy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful blend of feminist art, spirituality and goddess history with photos of altars covering a wide swath of religious beliefs as well as more creative, spiritual approaches. This book is a gift in its research and passion and such a great reminder to return to spirit when things feel impossible.

[JayeL]

July 2015: not available on audio at Mechanics' Institute

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book! Surprisingly fascinating.