Client: Rigshospitalet

Location: Copenhagen, Denmark

Completion date: 2017

Project Team

Client

Rigshopitalet

Rigshopitalet

Other

Niels Tue

Tue Gruppen

Artist

Astrid Krogh

Overview

Decoration of the chapel at Rigshospitalet, the central hospital in Copenhagen, Denmark. Materials: Goldleaf, aluminium, led, 300 x 450 cm

Goals

Golden light has always held spiritual associations. Its brilliance is believed to represent the Divine presence on Earth, illuminating the skies with the radiance of heavenly realms. The phenomenon has always fascinated Astrid Krogh, inspiring her to explore the theme of golden light in the new altar backdrop she created for the prayer room of Copenhagen’s National Hospital in 2017. Krogh began by browsing through religious texts to find the meanings attributed to light, then painstakingly captured its golden tones in layers of gold leaf. Large-scale graphic shapes were cut out to mimic the outlines of clouds, which were then illuminated by the soft light produced by amber LEDs. The integrated lighting gently transitions from soft to intense and back again, adding a subtle sense of movement to the otherwise static surface. The golden glow that results gives the wall a gentle lustre and a unique sense of warmth, almost as if rays of summer sunshine were streaming over the room.

Process

A collaboration between Astrid Krogh and Rigshopitalet