Passages

During the industrial era, a vast network of tunnels and mines was dug deep underground, criss-crossing the Terres Rouges from end to end, on several levels, even crossing the border, to link factories and steel production sites. Today, access to these underground passages is closed. Trees and shrubs hide the entrances; nature has reclaimed its rights in this landscape shaped by humans. The mining infra­struc­ture beneath our feet, which has become obsolete over time, is less and less visible, until it disappears from our imagination. 

For artist Serge Ecker, the ARBED tunnel embodies the rich and complex super­im­po­si­tion of the region’s industrial history and its trans­for­ma­tion into the digital age. The different strata of history, sociology, ecology and geology come together in the work ​“Passages”, which he created for Elektron’s inaugural exhibition CYBER STRUCTURES: Material Realities – Digital Experiences. 

Using 3D-scanning and pho­togram­me­try tech­nolo­gies (a technique for making reliable mea­sure­ments from photographs by comparing viewpoints), Serge Ecker was able to capture the entire 1,800-meter-long tunnel and create a 3D-printed sculpture of it. The use of these tech­nolo­gies makes it possible to witness the evolution of this space over time, and to reintegrate it into the landscape. 

Curators: Vincent Crapon & Françoise Poos
In col­lab­o­ra­tion with Bridderhaus.
With the generous support of the Œuvre Nationale de Secours Grande-Duchesse Charlotte.
With the kind support of the Commune de Rumelange, Arcelor­Mit­tal Luxembourg and the Musée National des Mines de Fer Lux­em­bour­geois­es. 
As part of the Biennale 2024 Archi­tec­tures — Esch Capitale Culturelle.