Summaery 2014

Illuminate the Darkness

Fakultät: Gestaltung, Studiengang: Kunst im öffentlichen Raum und neue künstlerische Strategien (M.F.A.)

'Illuminate the Darkness' is a site-specific project in the Viehauktionshalle in Weimar, Germany, which engages directly with the site, its history, usage and current state. The building was originally constructed as a cattle auction hall and was later used as a temporary holding place for people who were being sent to the Buchenwald concentration camp. Currently, the building is blocked so that nobody can access it. The outside of the building is dark, used by people who drink there at night and the ground is filled with pieces of broken glass bottles and garbage.

To preserve its history, this building has recently been designated as a historic landmark. However, nobody can access the inside of it and thus it is isolated from the public. In this context, how can we comprehend this historical site that has been abandoned but also coexists in the daily life of people in Weimar? How can we re-interpret this site in the ‘present’ so that we can find a way to embrace it as a prospect of our communal future? In the project ‘Illuminate the Darkness’, we aim to reconsider this historical site, along with its dark and heavy stories, and illuminate the space through artistic interventions. Twelve selected artists from all disciplines and backgrounds will participate in the exhibition, engaging with the building and producing site-specific works.