"We stand, as it were, upon the borders of two worlds; and as the mood of our minds may be, we may gather lessons of profound wisdom by contrasting the one with the other..."
– Joseph Story, Mount Auburn Cemetery Consecration Address, September 1831

A Message from Mount Auburn Cemetery

Since 1831 Mount Auburn has been a place to commemorate the dead, console the bereaved, and inspire all who visit here. Nearly two centuries later, more than 100,000 people have come to be buried and remembered here while countless visitors have entered our gates seeking the healing and inspirational powers of this sacred space. In some ways, the seeds for SOLSTICE: Reflections on Winter Light were planted with Mount Auburn's founding. Like the cemetery, SOLSTICE has been designed with a careful balance of art and nature. It reflects the great dualities of life-- loss and renewal, sorrow and joy, endings and beginnings, darkness and light-- and recognizes that only with one is the other possible.

Grounded in these same themes, Mount Auburn has welcomed its community for a Winter Solstice gathering for the past thirty years. Taking its cues from nature's need to pause and reset during the winter season, Mount Auburn's annual gathering provided a space for inward reflection on all that had come before and all that was still to be. Drawing heavily from the tradition of placing lit candles in cemeteries to remember loved ones, thousands have figuratively and metaphorically brought light into the darkness for themselves and for others who have joined us in this community act over the past three decades.

While honoring these well-rooted traditions, SOLSTICE: Reflections on Winter Light brings new opportunities for connecting with Mount Auburn and experiencing its incredible landscape. We are grateful to our artistic partners, MASARY Studios, for helping us to show Mount Auburn in a new light– as a place of welcome where the natural world, the seasons of life, and human stories will always be celebrated. 

MASARY Artistic Statement

Cycles within cycles, we return to SOLSTICE at Mount Auburn Cemetery. From new spring blooms to the last leaf that drops in the fall, Mount Auburn is a place of natural ritual and spiritual tradition, which embraces both the joys and challenges of our lives. It is with this recognition that we return with the original site-specific artworks for the Winter Solstice moment, which include evolved and new expressions.

Each piece can be perceived on its own or intertwined with one another to create a holistic experience; inviting unique moments for visitors to reflect on their lives, embrace the landscape, and connect with the celestial fabric we are all a part of.

We are honored to be in collaboration with Mount Auburn Cemetery as we continue this tradition together illuminating meaningful space for introspection, gathering, and community.