The installation, offered free of charge by the St. Truiden artist Tom Herck 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.
Until 17 May, the artist calls on as many support messages as possible to be posted on his facebook, instagram and email, which will be printed and posted in the mailboxes on the eighth day (Monday 18 May). The chandelier is literally filled with hope. By nightfall on day eight 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 –ArtistPA
About the artist
Tom Herck (1984) is a versatile artist with an international reputation. Starting out as a graffiti artist, he left his traces in almost all European capitals. He also produced sculptures and paintings. He is best known for his installations, often of enormous size, in public space. Well known are Wreckage in a bottle (casino Kursaal Ostend) and Holy Cow (Kuttehoven) and especially his House of Cards with Fallen Dictators, weighing 60 tons, probably the toughest card game on earth, in his hometown of Sint-Truiden.
location:
Just opposite Diestersteenweg 100 St-Truiden (St-Trudo hospital), Limburg (Belgium)
For press inquiries please contact Lara van Oudenaarde (ArtistPA):
[email protected]
+32 488-136 908
