In Saints of Failure, Ryan Conarro tackles questions of queer identity and faith through humorous and brutally honest anecdotes, while painting his body with images and materials created by makeup designer and performance coach Risha Rox. This piece premiered in Brooklyn, NY, in 2019 and was subsequently performed in Juneau, Alaska.

My challenge was to create a new design for the Altar/”box” that Ryan performs within. The box needed to evoke a Catholic prayer altar, similar to a confessional, while also creating space for a makeup table and a large “saints” costume for Ryan to wear each time he took on the role of a “saint of failure.” The box included a complete 'lighting package of LED tape and MR-16 birdies as well as candles. It was crucial that the box be enclosed with some sort of plexi or plastic material because makeup gets thrown all over the space.