"Let there be light"

Light-art objects and installations at the Neustift Abbey and Castle of the Holy Angel

Contemporary art within centuries-old walls: From 4-20 May 2023, a fascinating exhibition of light-art objects and installations was held at the Abbey Museum as part of the Brixen Water Light Festival. Whilst the festival transformed the façades, fountains and the confluence of the Eisack and Rienz rivers in the old town of Brixen into an art trail from 9 p.m. to midnight, the light artworks in the Castle of the Holy Angel and the Abbey Museum could be seen during the day from 10 am to 5 pm.

"This Water Light exhibition is in keeping with our aspiration to be a living monastery, which continues to focus on prayer and pastoral care, but which also has an eye on education and, as part of that, on cultural education," said provost Eduard Fischnaller at the opening.

Light art at its best

Visitors were treated to a fireworks display of light art objects and installations: Neon tubes, lettering, light boxes, assemblies made of straws, textile sculptures, videos, animations and projections on mirror foils. All this not only highlighted the state of the art of light design, but also provided a fascinating contrast to the exhibits in the museum and the baroque library of the abbey.

A distinguished cast

A total of 22 artists from all over the world were represented in Neustift, including internationally renowned names such as Sam Durant, François Morellet and Benjamin Bergmann with works from the collection of the Zumtobel Group (int. supplier of professional lighting solutions) as well as established artists Angelika Höger, Christine Sciulli, the artist trio Groll-Berndt-Seltmann, Ken Matsubara, Philipp Artus, Nazanin Fakoor and Gudrun Barenbrock. In addition, there were a number of works by an international project group of students in digital media, integrated design and liberal arts at the University of Bremen.

Impulses for reflection

The topics were sustainability, mindfulness and diversity. Visitors were invited to engage with themes such as changing perspectives, the interdependence of all things and the search for oneself. Some of the works of art could also be walked on, offering new sensory experiences.

Meanwhile, the students' artworks focused on data material, artificial intelligence and the interaction of physical and digital objects. In this process, a shift from the permanent to the performative, from object to perception and from the physical to the virtual could be observed.

Curator with focus on light in art, design and architecture

The Water Light exhibition in Neustift was curated by the international German curator Bettina Pelz.
She also helped to direct the international project group of students from the University of Bremen.

For more information on the works and artists, the Brixen Water Light Festival and on the associated exhibition at the Festung Franzensfeste fortress, please visit waterlight.it