Stairway to heaven, 2014
Site-specific installation at Neue Nationalgalerie, Berlin
rope-ladder: 850 cm x 70 cm x 4 cm
two high-polished metal sheets
diameter (both): 80 cm x 1,5 mm wide
Photos © Balint Meggyesi
The installation consists of a 8,5 meter long rope-ladder hanging between two circle shaped mirrors each of which are placed on the roof and on the floor.
Stairway to heaven, (2014) was inspired by beliefs ingrained in Hungarian culture, a shamanic view of a world divided into three spheres, is connected by a World-Tree or a Shaman Ladder which stands in the center of the world. Its foliage represents the Upper World, the home of the gods. The Middle World is located at its trunk, this is the world we know. The Underworld can be found around its roots.
The same symbol we can also find in Judaism and in the Bible is Genesis where Jacob‘s ladder is a staircase signifying the „bridge“ between heaven and earth.
Looking at the mirrors, the ladder seems to be on infinitive opening unexpected entrance door to different dimensions.
