When I was invited for an installation piece in a synagogue, it was important to me that my piece would communicate with the space and emphasize its unique character. At the same time I wanted to give the town of Samorin something special.

Slovakia is proud of its castles; 38 of them in total. Samorin, however, doesn’t have one. So I decided to “lend” them Germany’s most famous castle for the duration of the exhibition. (I used a paper model of Castle Neuschwanstein).

The synagogue seemed to be a perfect place to hold the precious castle. I created a hill for the castle, of a perfectly round shape; just like I have always imagined the castles described in European fairy tales. I seeded grass and thus the image of a perfect castle grew steadily throughout the exhibition.

Opening speach:

I would like to welcome you for the opening of my installation “A Castle for Samorin”. Firstly I would like to say a few words about how this castle got here:  

When Csaba and Suzanne Kiss offered me to propose an installation for the synagogue, I knew that I wanted it to be something special. I visited the synagogue for the first time a few weeks ago and liked it instantly. It gave me a unique feeling. I decided to do something that doesn’t interfere with the space, but rather communicates with it, or at best emphasizes its preciousness. Also it was important to me to respond to Samorin as a place. I decided that I wanted to give Samorin something that it didn’t have yet. A short time before I had bought a map of Slovakia that points out every castle and fortress in the country. Slovakia is literally dotted with them. I think there are 38 in total, which is a lot, especially for a small country like this one. Samorin, however, doesn’t have one, so I decided that I wanted to give it one, at least for a little while. A few weeks earlier I had traveled north, to the center of Slovakia; and from the train window I had seen several perfect castles sitting on perfect round green hills. Even though some of them were only ruins, it was obvious that they had once been brilliant fairy tale castles. I decided that I wanted to give Samorin one of those perfect castles on a perfect hill. I found that the synagogue would be a perfect place to host the perfect castle.

This castle’s home is normally in the South of Germany. It’s one of Germany’s most prominent castles; probably THE greatest and most famous one they have. It attracts masses of visitors from all over the world. I would like to give you the castle, but you have to take the tourists, too. They come with it, whether you want them or not.

As a matter of fact you are the first visitors who have found this castle in its new location. Well, there were 2 gentlemen there before you; they came when I had just placed it on its new hill. They were from Bratislava. I have to say they were indeed quick to find it. Other than that, you are the first tourists to visit this castle here. As you can see the hill is not perfectly green yet, but it will be soon. Be sure to come back and check on it in a few days or maybe in a week from now. Then its surroundings will be even more perfect and it will be exactly like those in the fairy tales. But don’t wait too long. Remember, the castle is only borrowed. It can’t stay in Samorin forever. Before the big masses of tourists will find it, I will take it back to its original location in Germany, so Samorin will be spared from all theses thousands of people. So make sure to enjoy it as long as it’s here.

I want to thank the synagogue, the Jewish community, the at-home gallery and Suzanne, Csaba and Noe Kiss for hosting this castle. And I would like to thank you for being the first visitors to the “Castle for Samorin”.

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