Commission work "Pendulum in Transitu"⎮Installation by Amélie Esterházy ⎮Columbarium St. Donatus Aachen-Brand ⎮
July 23rd, 2026
COMMISSION WORK "PENDULUM IN TRANSITU"
Installation by Amélie Esterházy
Columbarium St. Donatus Aachen-Brand
To mark the 10th anniversary of the Columbarium of St Donatus in Aachen-Brand on 13 June 2026, Amélie Esterházy’s five-part commissioned work for the large corner chapel was officially unveiled.
Five circular elements float freely in the space like oversized pendulums. They respond to every movement of the air and to the changing incidence of light. Their reflective outer surfaces and the golden speculum works inside constantly create new reflections and transform the space with every passing moment.
The pendulum has always symbolised the rhythm of time, movement, transience and recurrence. Through its oscillation, it marks the passage of life whilst simultaneously pointing to that which transcends time: eternity. Thus, the columbarium itself becomes part of the work, in which architecture, light and movement resonate with one another.
The installation, each work measuring 165 cm, 120 cm, 100 cm, 75 cm and 73 cm in diameter, is at its most striking during the darkest hour of the day. Then, the reflective surfaces reflect the little light that remains, creating a quiet, almost unreal presence. It is precisely in a place of remembrance and farewell that this fragile light takes on special significance. Even where darkness reigns supreme, there is always something that reflects the light.
In Pendulum in Transitu the pendulum is seen as a symbol of the transition between movement and stillness, life and death, transience and eternity. The work allows us to experience that even where darkness reigns supreme, there is always something left that reflects the light.
Photo by Amélie Esterházy