• • Hromnicky, Klenova Castle, Czech Republic, 1995

  • Four painted, cast iron and bronze 'candles', conducting finials.

  • View of castle tower, with lighting rod.

  • Two views from the castle tower, before installation, refurbishment of lightning rods.

  • Two views with installed Hromnicky.

  • View of tower, Hromnicky, from below.

Klenova Castle overlooks the former Czech/Bavarian borderland near Klatovy in present day south Bohemia. Installed above the early Gothic tower, high above a subterranean dungeon below are four Hromnicky. The work involved repairing the castle tower’s lightning rods by replacing their missing conductors or finials with cast iron and brass ‘candles’. 

The work links the former site of human power and surveillance (over the landscape) to the natural elements, to forces that over centuries and now erode the fortification and return its stone to the surrounding environment.

“Hromnicky” comes to us by way of Czech folklore and refers to a tall candle lit at home during electrical storms to appease the wrath of angry gods.