HORIZON

LIGHT BOX INSTALLATION FOR ILA PRISON

Ila Landsfengsel is a high-security prison in the outskirts of Oslo, incarcerating the most severe criminal offenders in Norway. In 2011, KORO (Public Art Norway) commissioned Elise Storsveen and I to propose work for two underground corridors. These are narrow transit areas connecting the living quarters with the work area, with many restrictions and security measures.

Given that the work is placed in their everyday surroundings, I wanted the work to pull back and demand little attention. Given the poor light conditions in the corridor, I wanted the work to be its own light source. Knowing that the prisoners stand at this security check point twice a day at approximately the same times, I also wanted the work to mark time.

The result was Horizon, a large light box mounted on the back wall of the corridor, serving as a backdrop for the security check point.

Each day it fades from black, through sunset/sunrise-like gradient colors, to white at mid day, then back again, through a different set of colors, to black at night.

The color transitions happen at times when the prisoners usually are entering and leaving the workplace. The kind of color transition is unique to each morning or afternoon of the week, and thus indirectly mark the time within the week and within the day.

Produced by Signex AS in collaboration with Medialab.