Luis Kürschner & Patryk Kujawa

Goethe-Institute Ireland
Dublin, Ireland

September 22 – October 29, 2023
Curated by Heidrun Rottke


The two-channel video and sound installation, “Like Lava Hot,” draws inspiration from a climactic scene in F.W. Murnau’s “Nosferatu,” where the vampire succumbs to sunlight. We explore sunlight as a complex natural force, embodying both creative potential and destructive repercussions.

The mounting global heat crisis led us to delve into the concept of volcanoes, hidden and capricious powers. The “year without a summer” in 1816, resulting from Mount Tambora’s cataclysmic eruption in 1815, served as a backdrop for narratives like Dracula and Frankenstein. This backdrop allows us to fantasize about the transformative interplay of destruction and renewal.

Volcanoes, the Earth’s inner voices, mirror our inner desires and lusts. The eruption subtly alludes to the homoerotic undertones within Nosferatu’s bloodsucking motif. The act of physical intimacy symbolizes both sexual desire and the potential propagation of dangers, when viruses spread through acts of love and passion, posing a threat to human existence.

The dog, a silent observer on the other side of the room, oscillates between being awake and dreaming. In moments of wakefulness, we observe subtle changes in its eyes, hinting at a gradual loss of vision.