Shankh (Ritual Conch)

Title: The Last Call – 2141

I wanted to reinterpret this ornate ritual conch shell trumpet as an object that no longer needs human breath.

In its original context, the shankh was blown during sacred ceremonies to cut through illusion and announce the presence of the divine. I imagined it in 2141 as something that activates on its own. Faint luminous veins now run through the gilt surface, and the shell emits a low inner light when it senses falsehood in the world around it.

Being part of this challenge with the FLORA and Contra community made me think differently about sacred objects not just as artifacts from the past, but as things that could still have a role in the future.

Original artwork The Met: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/503672 FLORA project: https://app.flora.ai/chat/ns74f4npk235a3bn9agv33kh618dmx8k