Time for change
On Saturday, January 6, 2024 (in keeping with the Three Wise Men), my project “Melchior, King of Light”, a kinetic art object as a spire on the St. Urbanus Church in Gelsenkirchen Buer, was presented for the first time by the Funke Medien Group.
My object is an open metal construction, welded from steel tubes, which adapts to neo-Gothic and industrial architecture. In the 19th century, the outer walls of the churches were supported by buttresses and buttresses. The Ruhr region is characterized by mining and steel skeleton constructions such as winding towers and industrial halls. These periods of history have inspired me in my design.
The Melchior Spitze is a kinetic light object that is firmly bolted to the church tower but remains an independent object in its own right.
The interior of the object is fitted with sophisticated LED lighting technology. In the evening, the art object is discreetly illuminated from the inside in a light umber color.
In terms of lighting technology, the construction consists of five levels, which are assigned to the bells housed in the church tower. With each chime, the corresponding level is slightly dimmed up and down in a fixed color tone and the chime tone brightens and fades.
Example: At the top of the hour, the time is displayed visually on the top level and on the quarter hour on the level below.
The current bell tower measures 50 meters in height and my light object will extend the tower to 54.8 meters. With a height of 104.8 meters, I orient myself to the number of square kilometers of the city of Gelsenkirchen. A 5.20 meter high cross, which contains the history, years, numbers of the origin, destruction, construction of the church / city, we have a total height of 110 meters.
Excerpt from my diary
Light and sound = movement
An old bell tower once stood enthroned in a picturesque town, crowned by a unique, transparent metal spire. This spire came to life when the tower’s five bells rang out. Each bell had its own melody, and together they made the spire glow in a magical play of colors.
The tangle of metal became a living painting when the bells rang through the city. A soft blue on the first bell, a bright red on the second – the colors danced in time with the melodies. The residents gathered, enchanted by this heavenly spectacle that transformed the top of the tower into a living light sculpture.
The story of the glowing church spire spread far beyond the city limits, and travelers came to experience the magical spectacle. As a result, the transparent metal spire not only became the city’s landmark, but also a source of unforgettable memories for everyone who witnessed its radiant splendor.
