Temple of Reunion @ OMCA

We erected this 40' tall interactive wood and steel David Best installation at the Oakland Museum of California
to honor immigrants:
their experiences, endeavors, accomplishments, hardships, and contributions.

Best's work poses sociocultural questions, and creates space for communities to answer them.
Unique and challenging aspects of this build are that we completed it without the use of heavy equipment due to site restrictions, as well as six weeks earlier than scheduled to accommodate OMCA's request.

Though the Temple of Reunion was not raised for any one person,
I was proud to erect this ornate installation within walking distance from where my amazing, creative, accomplished, brave, pioneering Grandmother (Nani) Simmin Sethna, professionally known as Simone Sethna,
first arrived to the US, on her own,
to establish her career once again but this time in the West.
Her hard work, ingenuity, and eventual success enabled my family's immigration.

ROLES
Facade Design
Prefabrication
Structural Carpentry
Construction
Facade Installation
Electrical Wirework
Rigging
Materials Management

Samantha Firoze Sethna
Sam Sethna