Limburg (Be) artist Tom Herck creates 'The message is light’, a monumental installation as a tribute to health workers, especially in the badly COVID-19 afflicted province of Limburg, and one of the worst-affected cities in Europe, Sint-Truiden(Be).
The installation, offered free of charge by the St. Truiden artist in collaboration with various entrepreneurs, consists of a gigantic chandelier -6m in diameter and 4.5m high - equipped with 33 letterboxes with a candle attached to each of them. The number 33 is an indication of the number of human vertebrae. The healthcare sector and all on the front lines of the fight against corona are the backbone of our time. The 3 rings of this candlestick are 1.5 m apart as a reference to the social distancing principle. The 1000 Kg work of art is lifted into the air by a 25m high crane and remains suspended for 8 days as a symbol of support for anyone suffering from the Covid-19 pandemic.
From Monday 11 May to 17 May, the artist called on as many support messages as possible to be posted on his facebook (Tom Herck), instagram (@tom.herck) and email (Tomherck@gmail.com), which will be printed and posted in the mailboxes on the eighth day. The chandelier is literally filled with hope. By nightfall on the 18th of May the candles are burned and the next day all documents are emptied from the mailboxes and delivered to the hospital staff and management. The artist refers to two universal tools invoking solidarity in times of darkness; burning candles and the power of language. People worldwide are currently urged to burn candles for corona victims.
The craving for contact is greater than ever, which is evident from the countless messages that are helping people through this crisis. The artwork shows us the light at the end of the tunnel.
© text Lara van Oudenaarde
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Location:
Just opposite Diestersteenweg 100 St-Truiden (St-Trudo hospital), Limburg (Belgium)
For press inquiries please contact Lara van Oudenaarde (ArtistPA):
contact@artistpa.com
+32 488-136 908
More info: tomherck.com
The message is light -photos by Erik Jamar -copyright artwork Tom Herck
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The message is light - production photo -copyright artwork Tom Herck -
