Artist Raúl de Nieves has created a breathtaking spiritual experience at Pioneer Works in Brooklyn, where his solo exhibition "In Light of Innocence" transforms the contemporary art space into a contemplative cathedral through an extraordinary collection of stained glass installations. The exhibition, which runs through December 14 and is curated by Gabriel Florenz, combines tarot imagery, Mexican folklore, and Catholic symbolism to create a unique artistic collaboration that challenges traditional religious hierarchies.

The history of stained glass stretches back to ancient Rome, but the art form reached its peak during the Middle Ages with the construction of great cathedrals. Originally, designs were created using vidimus - Latin for "we have seen" - crafted with wood and chalk before paper became widely available. By the early 16th century, according to the Victoria & Albert Museum, the introduction of paper revolutionized the process, allowing one person to illustrate designs that could be saved, reused, and passed down from glazier to glazier, making stained glass an inherently collaborative art form.

De Nieves' installation carries on this collaborative tradition by merging diverse visual traditions into a cohesive whole. Upon entering the gallery, visitors are immediately drawn to look upward at the far back wall, where a prominent calavera, or skull, occupies the top circular window. Below this striking image, rectangular windows feature figures representing faith, hope, and love. The centerpiece of the exhibition is a large installation powered by a lightbox that displays intricate depictions of flies, skeletons, steps under an archway, and the Mesoamerican deity Tlaltecuhtli.

What sets this installation apart from traditional cathedral experiences is Pioneer Works' unique architecture, which allows visitors to view the stained glass from multiple perspectives. Unlike conventional cathedrals where viewers can only look up from below, the gallery's second and third floors provide opportunities to observe the artwork at eye level and from above. This multi-level viewing experience fundamentally changes how visitors interact with and interpret the spiritual imagery.

From the upper floors, visitors can examine three particularly compelling panels featuring figures that blend tarot archetypes. One panel showcases a figure combining elements of the Queen of Cups and Queen of Swords, while another presents a meditative King of Pentacles. A third panel carries the inscription "And we are here to contemplate the wonders of life," emphasizing the exhibition's contemplative purpose. As the exhibition text explains, "Unlike traditional religious hierarchies, tarot allows for multiple perspectives and characters to hold equal power."

The viewing experience varies dramatically depending on the observer's position within the gallery. When viewed from below, the panels evoke judgment and divine command, as if the gods of tarot were delivering reminders about life's purpose. However, when observed from above, these same figures appear remarkably human, seemingly as confused and bewildered about existence as any mortal observer.

One of the most unexpected elements of the installation is the recurring motif of flies, which appears across three adjacent panels. This surprising choice for stained glass imagery gains deeper meaning upon closer examination. One panel titled "The flies will lay their eggs" - an apparent reference to lyrics from Marilyn Manson's "Tourniquet" - is positioned alongside another featuring the Hanged Man tarot card. While flies might typically be associated with garbage and decay in urban environments like New York City, de Nieves uses them to represent their crucial ecological role as bridges between death and life.

This transformation of negative associations into positive spiritual meaning exemplifies the central message of de Nieves' installation. The artwork demonstrates how death, life, faith, hope, love, calaveras, flies, and the royal figures of tarot can all shift in meaning depending on one's perspective. The exhibition challenges visitors to reconsider their assumptions and find spiritual significance in unexpected places.

"Raúl de Nieves: In Light of Innocence" continues at Pioneer Works, located at 159 Pioneer Street in Red Hook, Brooklyn, through December 14. The exhibition successfully transforms the gallery space from a typical creative environment into a deeply contemplative sanctuary, offering visitors a rare opportunity to experience the spiritual power of stained glass art in an entirely new context.