Meaningfulness, hope, empathy and gratitude
The installation Salve is a 4-meter-high golden pavilion made from a party tent frame and a patchwork of emergency blankets. The word “Salve” is a Latin greeting often found at the entrance of churches or, historically, church-run hospitals and schools. It serves as both a welcoming expression and a charitable wish for others to be safe, well, and blessed.
The work was first conceived as a site-specific installation for the 20th anniversary of the Franconian Hospice Museum in Aub, Bavaria. For over 600 years, the hospice cared for the poor, the sick, and pilgrims traveling to Compostela. One of its guiding principles is that care extends beyond maintaining or restoring physical functions to encompass profound, intangible experiences such as meaningfulness, hope, empathy, and gratitude. The installation visualizes this process of care and, through interaction, transforms it into a sensory experience.
The inner space of the tent, which visitors are encouraged to walk through, is filled with strips of the same golden blankets. Due to the density of these strips, the interior is dark and disorienting, contrasting with the bright, reflective exterior. Depending on one’s mood, the experience can feel meditative or playful.
Furthermore, “Salve” can also be interpreted as an expression of joy and celebration, akin to “Rejoice!” or “Hail!” In this spirit, the installation carries a humorous and lighthearted essence—not only in its playful use of materials and symbolism but also in the way it invites visitors to engage in a game of hide-and-seek.
