Art Tower 8
For sculptor Søren West, it is crucial that his sculptures work together with their surroundings.
Art Tower 8
- Artist: Søren West
- Artwork: “Force Majeure”
- Erected: 2024
A bolt of granite in the tower of childhood
On Hennetvedvej, between the Skovsgård and Frederiksberg manor houses, stands Kunsttårn 8, buzzing with energy. Here, sculptor Søren West has placed his work ‘Force Majeure’ – a five-metre-high bolt of lightning, carved in granite and charged with both physical power and personal meaning.
A childhood memory becomes art
Since he was eight years old, Søren West has been fascinated by the transformer towers in the landscape. With their closed iron doors, warning triangles and electrical crackling, they aroused a curiosity that stuck with him.
The tower on Hennetvedvej was one of the places he often passed with his family – and when he was invited to be a tower artist in 2024, it was this childhood building that he was allowed to transform.
A work in granite was an obvious choice for the sculptor, who had a five-metre-long block of granite ready in his stone collection. The result is a powerful sculpture that stands as a monument to both the forces of nature and man's ability to shape them.
Thunder in the night and rustling in the skirts
The sculpture was put in place on a Friday evening during a thunderstorm – a dramatic backdrop to the theme of the work. Søren West had to go in and out of the tower to avoid the risk of being struck by lightning.
The storm almost became part of the work – a kind of dialogue between real and sculpted lightning.
Behind the sculpture is a box of solar cells that create flashes and electrical life in the tower room. The technical element unites the tower's original function with the contemporary artistic interpretation.
From flint to Carrara
Søren West's path to becoming a sculptor began with stone finds along the coast of Langeland – especially flint nodules, which fascinated the young boy with their natural shapes. He was later accepted at the Funen Art Academy and began his artistic training with painting, but was quickly drawn to sculpture and the resistance of the material.
A stay in the Italian marble quarries of Carrara shaped his understanding of stonework and aesthetics. Back home in Denmark, however, he discovered the raw, Nordic expression of granite – and a style that respects the natural limitations of the material.
A sculpture with power
Force Majeure is not just a technical achievement. It is also a poetic work about fascination, childhood, strength and transformation. It expresses the forces of nature in physical form while leaving room for contemplation – in an aesthetic that is both raw and precise.
Langeland's Art Towers - a unique way of experiencing art
Denmark's longest art exhibition can be experienced by visiting 12 former electrical transformer towers on Langeland. The art towers give visitors an artistic experience in the heart of the Langeland countryside.
From North to South and East to West, you can explore the cultural landscape and enjoy art in rural peace and quiet.
The towers are open all year round. A tour around them all will always offer a new experience, influenced by both the season and weather.
You can read more about the 12 art towers at https://www.govisitlangeland.com/langeland/discover/art-towers
