The ‘One Love, One Lattice’ Ketubah frames the text with an elaborately detailed and ornamental filigree art deco frame, exquisitely rendered through hand gilded gold leaf applications.
The four circular windows symbolise the four poles of the Chuppah, reflecting the hospitality, connectedness and openness of the couple for whom this was painted. Each circle honours a significant motif of Gemma and Ariel’s love story; including Sydney – the city where they fell in love and live.
The Old City of Jerusalem signifies the mutual importance of Israel to the couple as well as the where they married.
Positioned in the other windows are an oil lantern (paying homage to the setting in which the groom proposed) and the Shabbat candles, denoting tradition, continuity and two flames flickering as their two souls dance.
18 floral petals, indicating the Jewish value of Life (Chai) radiate outwards upon the ceiling of the frame – singing of blossoming love and shared growth.
On the bottom, 9 infinity signs (comprised of ‘Chai’ / 18 water droplets interconnected) foreground water as the life force of purity and nourishment.
The inner pillars are an ode to Australian botanicals and native flora (wattles, waratahs, bottlebrushes, banksias, eucalyptus leaves and gum nuts), whilst the adjacent outer pillars feature the 7 species of Israel (grapes, dates, pomegranates, figs, olives, wheat and barley) canvassed in the bible.
Their paired duality celebrates the convergence of the couples’ heritages into one union, whilst together rejoicing in the land, nature and seas as foundations of this love story.
The entire gold leaf ensemble and four painted scenarios float on a watercolour stained linen background that fades from sky blues into dusty beiges at the heart of the painting.
The fire that radiates from the composition, blazing off the gold leaf resounds in the spirit of their beauty, as they journey into eternity
