Born in 1944 in Michelstadt, Hesse, Germany, Rebecca Horn was a multi-talented visual artist of the post-war generation. Since she recently passed away (6th September 2024), I am pleased to pay homage to her with this article.
The legacy of Rebecca Horn in Turin and in the Contemporary Art Museum of Rivoli consists of three impressive installations.
Blue Spirits and Luci d’artista
Blue Spirits – Rebecca Horn – Photo Gianluca Minuto
One of the works created by Rebecca Horn for the city of Turin is the light installation titled Blue Spirits belonging to LUCI d’ARTISTA, which is a light festival taking place every year in the city since 1997. The 27th edition will start on 25th October and it will last until the 12th January 2025.
Blue Spirits looks like a suspended web, made with circular neon tubes, floating in the air around the Capuchin church. The setting is outstanding, since the church is located on the top of a hill, from where one can enjoy a marvelous view across the city of Turin. When the light installation is on, the church is immersed in an all-embracing blue light.
Blue is the color commonly associated with tranquillity, spirituality and inner peace. The effect of the lights’ reflection on the water of the Po River flowing at the foot of the hill is simply gorgeous.
The legacy of Rebecca Horn at the Contemporary Art Museum of Rivoli
Cutting through the past – Courtesy Castello di Rivoli Museo d’Arte Contemporanea, Rivoli, Torino – Photo Paolo Pellion, Torino
Rebecca Horn had a remarkable interest in the creation of magical objects, which she infused with tenderness, sometime also with pain.
Cutting Through the Past, 1993, is a large-scale installation belonging to the permanent collection of the Contemporary Art Museum of Rivoli, on the outskirts of Turin.
Five used doors are placed on a platform. They are reminiscent of a domestic environment in which private stories occur. A metal rod positioned horizontally at the center of the platform is moved by an electronic motor, revolving 360 degrees.
The sharp point of the rod passes through all five doors, evoking the ambivalence between the poetry and the violence of memories.
Miroir du lac – Rebecca Horn -Courtesy Castello di Rivoli Museo d’Arte Contemporanea, Rivoli, Torino – Photo Paolo Pellion, Torino
Another installation by Rebecca Horn belonging to the permanent collection of the museum is titled Miroir du Lac (Mirror of the Lake), 2004.
The work consists of two circular mirrors, one installed on the floor, the other on the ceiling, producing a stunning effect of infinite depth. The horizontally pivoted movement of the mirror placed on the floor produces a sense of vertigo, challenging the stability of one’s own perception.
Some rooms of the Rivoli Castle, which has hosted the Contemporary Art Museum since 1984, boast beautiful baroque paintings and decorations, which are reflected on the mirrors. An extraordinary combination of antique and contemporary art.
If you want to discover the installations of Rebecca Horn in Turin and Rivoli, along with the works of art of other great contemporary artists book a private guided tour with us.