Naked Science Forum
Non Life Sciences => Technology => Topic started by: lyner on 12/11/2007 13:44:31
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This is more art than technology but I think this is the right place for it.
If you visit Tate Modern in London, you will see an art installation by Doris Salcedo. It's called Shiboleth but it's popular name is 'The Crack'.
It is 500 ft long and up to 3ft deep - wide enough to get your foot stuck in it and it tapers to a hairline crack - look it up on the www.
Has anyone else seen it? How was it done?
It is very convincing as the original floor appears to be intact - apart from the crack itself- right up to the razor-sharp edge.
I was realllllly impressed.
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...Doris Salcedo. It's called Shiboleth but it's popular name is 'The Crack'.
... How was it done?
I've not seen it, and apparently the artist wants you to focus on what it means symbolises, rather than how it was done(!)
They spill some beans in the Guardian article: http://arts.guardian.co.uk/art/visualart/story/0,,2187568,00.html
Mr E is a builder who was working at Tate Modern on another project while Shibboleth was being installed, and although for contractual reasons he does not wish to be further identified, he is very happy to recount what he witnessed. So here's the answer ...
"They dug a dirty great trench about a yard wide and a yard deep," says Mr E, still lost in wonderment. "Then they brought in lorry-load after lorry-load of cement and poured it in, using 10-foot sections of what looked like carved polystyrene moulding to form the sides. Then a whole bunch of people lay down on their stomachs for about a week and finished it off with brushes. Looked bloody uncomfortable, I can tell you. It's about racism? Can't see it myself, but I'm not much of a one for modern art. It was a pretty good trench, though. And one hell of a lot of cement. Good luck to 'em."