House of Spirits Riverbox

The House of Spirits Riverbox was created in 2009 by artist Mark Soppeland. It was inspired by mail art, a 30-year collection of found objects and the Indonesian custom of building a small elaborate house – a Spirit House – that was placed on a pedestal in the corner of one’s property. The house was intended to provide a shelter for spirits that might cause problems if not appeased. Offerings were customarily left at the house to soothe the spirits. An old spirit house should never be discarded, but instead placed together with others somewhere in a field or the woods. Although they aren’t maintained anymore, it is common practice for passers-by to leave a gift at the spot.

For more information about House of Spirits, visit dublinarts.org and click on the Art in Public Places and Riverboxes tabs.

Dublin Arts Council commissioned the creation of Riverboxes™, artist-created vessels inspired by the hobbies of letterboxing and geocaching that combine map-reading or GPS skills and artistic pursuit with delightful ”treasure hunts” in beautiful, scenic places. Riverboxes contain a unique artist-made stamp, journal and historical and environmental information for visitors to discover in Dublin parks along the banks of or connected to the Scioto River and its tributaries. Clues to the locations of the discreetly installed Riverboxes can be found in the Riverbox listings on this site. Community participants are encouraged to bring a personal journal and an ink stamp, either handmade or commercially produced, as they search for the Riverboxes. Letterboxing/geocaching hobbyists often mark their journals with the ink stamps discovered at each location and, in turn, imprint the site’s journal with their own ink stamp. The Riverboxes project is part of Dublin Arts Council’s Ripple Effect: Artistic Impact of the Scioto River program.

Dates

Purchased: 2009
Installed: 2009

Additional Notes

GPS COORDINATES
N 40° 07.076'
W 083° 06.632'

Scioto Park is located on Riverside Drive, north of Route 161 and Emerald Parkway and just south of Hard Road. There is ample parking in the upper level of this park. Dublin parks are open dawn to dusk.

Clues
• Park in the upper parking lot of Scioto Park.
• Begin walking north (upriver) through the grass.
• Look for a “hole” in the trees, indicating a path.
• Continue through the trees, approximately 24 paces.
• Keep an eye out to the right, near the base of a tree.