Berne, Switzerland, 2020

A drama of colors and light

Art installation ‘Fenster zum Hof’

Three colored balls held by Jakob steel cables hover above the courtyard of the building in Bern’s Monbijou street 61. They form the small but effective artistic intervention ‘Window to the courtyard’ by Christian Grogg.

The installation takes its cue from the surrounding serene architecture. Its simplicity and reduction blends well into the surrounding and yet is an artwork in its own right.

From the inside of the building offer various perspectives on the three plastic balls. Each window offers a different view of the installation, which gently swings with the wind. Like the stars, the three balls change their constellation and shift the spatial dimensions. The changing natural light through the seasons lets appear the balls in different shades of color.

The name ’Fenster zum Hof’ is inspired by the German title of Alfred Hitcock’s Rear Window. Like the protagonist in the thriller, we all can become a voyeur and witness a drama of changing color and light reflections.

Three steel cables by Jakob Rope Systems provide the suspension solution for the three balls. The intersecting cables also contribute to the minimal aesthetic and are hardly visible. The artist himself is happy about the result and the collaboration with Jakob: ‘Even small customers enjoy first class service and competent support by Jakob’.

Artwork: Christian Grogg.
Text: Konrad Tobler / Jakob Rope Systems
Images: Alexander Jaquemet