Humboldt WorldLOCATION
Humboldt Forum Berlin
PROGRAM
Art Installation
YEAR
2017
STATUS
Competition
Also named “2 Brothers, 1 World,” the installation encapsulates the lives of the Humboldt brothers through a series of lines running above stairs and escalators, forming two converging bodies with embedded volumes known as the “Hearts.”
The installation, mirroring the forces that shaped the brothers' legacy, transforms as viewers move along the staircase hall. Flexible light tubes represent the brothers' achievements, accentuating the linear 3rd-floor corridor. This journey begins with sparse lines, intensifying into a dynamic solid and culminating in a twisted sphere—THE HUMBOLDT'S WORLD.
The installation, responding to the Humboldt Forum's rational interior architecture, introduces a contrasting element in the neutral staircase hall, turning white walls into black masses and deconstructing monolithic structures into thousands of lines. This play of opposites creates a visually striking and thought-provoking experience in and of the space.
Wilhelm's philosopher persona materializes as a cube, symbolizing his humanistic vision, while Alexander's exploratory curiosity takes the form of free geometry.