"I was curious. What stops me from talking to strangers? What draws me to trust one person, to invite one person into my family and not the other? How can we re-find a way to talk? What would you say to a stranger?"

Continuing research begun in her series, small gifts, Rajni ran a series of creative workshops as part of the Belluard Bollwerk International festival inviting members of the public to make letters and gifts to be left at a series of altars in the town. Alluding to the Catholic history of Fribourg, Rajni then worked with each workshop group to create a series of altars in public spaces chosen by the group. Like the lighting of a candle at an altar, but with the aim of guiding prayers across the earth to another person, this project encourages us to think about the connections we might have with strangers and the role that gifting and exchange can take in modern society. Part of UK-based group Wrights and Sites 'mis-guides' series.

Read more about each altar by clicking on the images below:

Altars of us all - workshop 1 - altar location: in the funiculaire

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Altars of us all - workshop 2 - altar location: Fribourg train station

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Altars of us all - workshop 3 (altar location: bus stop on Avenue Général-Guisan) - altar location: bus stop on Avenue Général Guisan

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Altars of us all - workshop 4 - altar location: wooden box (made by Nicholas Y. Galleazzi) in Guinzet park

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Altars of us all - workshop 5 - altar location: pavement of Boulevard de Pérolles

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Altars of us all - workshop 6 - altar location: Fribourg Centre shopping mall

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Related materials

Watch an interview with Rajni and other 'mis-guides' artists at art-tv.ch