Change: Gerald Moroder and the Brenner Base Tunnel Project

Gerald Moroder is a sculptor from Val Gardena, known for his original and modern artistic approach. Most of Moroder’s works are made of porphyry stone, a material typically found on the Rasciesa mountain, very near his home in Ortisei. Together with a group of 26 artists from the Val Gardena ‘Unika’ association, Moroder decided to investigate lifestyle changes and how they impact nature. The exhibition the artists have created, entitled ‘Change’, can be seen starting Saturday, March 18th at the Fortress in Fortezza.

Moroder, can the rock extracted during the excavations for the BBT give rise to a work of art?

Why of course. I decided to use the sand extracted during the excavation of the Brenner Base Tunnel  to create an installation which  is 230 centimetres high and rests on a surface entirely covered with the same material. The work is called ‘Zug-Luft’ (the words literally mean ‘train-air’), and it is inspired by the Brenner Base Tunnel project, because this project will significantly contribute to improving air quality in our regions.

 

Why is Change the theme of the exhibition?

The theme of the exhibition - which has been translated into the three languages spoken in Alto Adige, i.e. “Veränderung” in German,“Cambiamento” in Italian,“Mudazion”  in Ladin and of course “Change”, in English –  stands as a symbol for the changes that modern life has brought in the way people live and the impacts these changes have had on the environment.

In the case of the Brenner Base Tunnel, the impact is certainly positive, since the work will help to promote sustainable mobility, discouraging the use of cars to transport people and goods.

Moreover, the sculpture I made looks northwards: it symbolises the Brenner tunnel, which will be one of the most important links between northern and southern Europe.

 

We would like to thank Gerald Moroder for his time and for choosing to give the theme of the Brenner Base Tunnel a completely new artistic interpretation. In addition, Moroder would like to thank all the employees of BBT SE for their helpfulness and support before and during the construction of the exhibition.

In addition to the ‘Change’ exhibition, which is open through June 4th, the Fortress also hosts the BBT Infopoint, a 200 m² exhibition area presenting not only the Tunnel project itself, but its cultural and naturalistic aspects as well. A visit to the Fortress, therefore, can be an excellent opportunity to get to know the many facets of the BBT project, as part of the improvements that rail transport will bring for our way of life and mobility in Europe.