In the right light

Churches are essential repositories of memory within the town or city in which they are located. Linking past with present, they are more than just places of spiritual contemplation. The "Sanktreinoldikirche" (Church of St. Reinoldi) on Dortmund's Ostenhellweg is a typical example. As a German Imperial and Alderman's Church, it was, next to the town hall, the city's most important place of municipal representation in days gone by.

The sacred space of the Church of St. Reinoldi is a place of silence, but also of contemporary dance. Artist Andreas Oldörp will create a play of light within it.
Photo: Sabine Schirdewahn

Great significance therefore attaches to the architectural and interior design of the church, which also contains major art treasures in the choir emanating from Dortmund’s pre-industrial period of prosperity as a Hanseatic City and the only Free Imperial City of Westphalia.

Sacral room, tower and glass extension

In the course of the centuries, the Church of St. Reinoldi was extended and modified. The outcome of these add-ons has been the development of three building elements which are different in both function and design: the sacral room in the form of a three-bay Roman column basilica with a late Gothic choir, the 104 metre high tower as it is now, which can be climbed up to the first landing, and the two-storey glass extension with passage through to the historic church structure, which was built in 2006.

Artist Angela Bulloch will illuminate the 104 m high bell-tower.
Photo: Sabine Schirdewahn

Light Forum

From May 14 to July 3, 2010, the Church of St. Reinoldi will be the venue and also the subject of the project known as "LichtKunstRaum sanktreinoldi". This exhibition of light art encompasses five sub-projects as vehicles for contemporary art, design and dance which are explicitly oriented towards the three styles of architecture that the church building embodies. These artistic interventions are to be supplemented by a "Light Forum", the remit of which is to investigate the metaphysical meaning of light, and shifts in perspective in religion, art and urban space.