The Debt – Lichtpforte / Gate of Light

Santiago Sierra, who describes himself as a “minimalist with a guilt complex,” owes his fame to extremely provocative works in which he radically criticizes society, the capitalist system, and the art world. Compared to earlier works that broke moral taboos to raise awareness of injustices, his installation in Arnsberg appears rather restrained. This is only the artist’s second work to be created as a permanent installation in public space. His first public work, the Black Cone, was installed in 2012 as a monument to civil disobedience in front of the parliament in Reykjavik. Black Cone was also politically explosive until its impact was diffused when it was moved to a different location.

Now, in Arnsberg, the critical element could easily be dismissed in favor of an artistic-minimalist understanding. Although the title The Debt implies a sort of critique, this aspect can also be overlooked when the additional title Light Gate is brought into the foreground. Alongside his 2013 solo exhibition at the Kunstverein Arnsberg, Sierra was invited to create an additional public work. He considered the history of the city and then designed a light installation for the former Klosterpforte, which was the main gate of the medieval castle and city of Arnsberg in the direction of the Wedinghausen monastery until its demolition in 1799. As such, this site marks the opening of the fortification wall and the transition from the medieval city to its classical expansion in the 19th century.

Santiago Sierra traced the outline of the historic cloister gate into the pavement with embedded LED lamps; however, this perimeter is interrupted by the buildings that exist there today. If the resulting “light space” initially appears as a visualization of historical conditions, and then the title The Debt leads us further into the present – a time characterized by financial and economic crises, national debt, war, and isolation strategies; a time in which the construction of new walls is easily imaginable.

References:
www.kunstverein-arnsberg.de
www.arnsberg.de/lichtpforte