Nurturing the Remains: A Ritual at Jean Shin's Offering

Celebrate the Lunar New Year with us at Green-Wood! Join us as we welcome the new year surrounded by Jean Shin's Offering, a site-specific installation in the Cemetery's entrance. Inspired by Korean tumuli burial mounds, Offering honors fallen trees as living ancestors and guardians of Green-Wood, transforming trunks, branches, and leaves into a living memorial. As these natural materials decompose, they nourish the soil and fuel new growth—a powerful symbol of renewal and new beginnings for the Lunar New Year.

This afternoon's program begins with an introduction to Offering by Jean Shin and an overview of death education at Green-Wood by Gabrielle Gatto, Manager of Public Programs. Mudang Jenn, a Korean shaman, will then guide participants through collective rituals of reflective writing, gathering branches, and fire ceremony to acknowledge the Fire Horse year and the generative relationship between fire and earth. The ritual concludes with the placement and pulling of flags as blessings, symbolizing cycles of giving and receiving as we prepare for spring's renewal.

Before Reserving Your Ticket, Please Note:

• Tickets: There is no need to print tickets! Attendees will be checked in by name.
• Where To Go: Check-in takes place at the Modern Chapel near the Main Entrance at Fifth Avenue and 25th Street (500 25th Street).
• Accessibility & Safety: Walking tour routes cover hilly, grassy, and uneven terrain. This tour is not accessible for those using wheelchairs or other mobility aids and may be difficult for those with balance or other mobility issues. There is no place to sit down during the tour. For other disability-related accommodations, contact us at 718-210-3080, ext. 1 or [email protected]. This tour is not recommended for children under the age of 10. We strongly encourage attendees to wear suitable footwear.
• A Little More About Safety: Unless there is a medical emergency, it may be difficult to exit quickly during the tour. Please consider these limitations before purchasing tickets.

Photo Credit: Ellen Harvey

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Host or Publisher The Green-Wood Historic Fund