Carsten Höller
L'Ombre, 1997

Artist
Carsten Höller

Title
L'Ombre

Year of creation
2009

Technology and dimensions
Aluminum pot, cotton pads, Carsten Höller and Maurizio Cattelan's shadow, height 25 cm, diameter 53 cm

Year of acquisition
2009

Acquisition of the foundation

In the work of the studied agricultural scientist and phytopatologist Höller, the interface between art, aesthetics and science plays a crucial role.

In many of his installations, the scientific experiment is the focus of his artistic concepts. Different in the work “L'Ombre” (The Shadow). Here you can see something mysterious that captivates the viewer's imagination: According to legend, a disproportionately large aluminum pot contains the shadows of both Höller and his artist friend Maurizio Cattelan. Carsten Höller explains how it came about: first the pot was lined with cotton wool, then the shadows of both were captured in the pot and the edge was sealed.

There are no measurement or comparable observations available. The idea of ​​the captured shadow, however, provokes a multitude of associations that evoke a wide variety of reactions and opinions from viewers. The original meaning of the work for the artist himself also remains open.