09/10/2026
DISCOVER BELÉM - in 2006 I had the pleasure of working at Tate Modern when Carsten Höller introduced the Test Site. I recall staff were the very first to experience the sculpture. However I passed on the opportunity.
I also recall Höller expressing an interest in using the turbine as a prototype for an even larger enterprise, enhance, Test Site, in which the artist imagined slides could be introduced across London, or in any major city. My eagerness to truly embrace the work conceptually did not go beyond a quick exit for lunch break from level four. Nevertheless, I still admired its physical sensibility and intention. Aesthetically it was like sliding on a mythical giant metallic serpent. It was truly impressive.
Hidden behind a Museum in between walking distance from Belem train station to the new gallery on Rue do Embaixador is Höller Dice (2019} on permanent public display. Fabricated from 22,000 kilos of Português Limestone at 240 x 240 x 240 cm is large enough for adults to climb inside. A child like experience.
The assemblage explores a dimension of life that Höller anticipates is marked precisely by unpredictability. The Dice, or the motion of rolling the dice, perfectly captures the essence of chaos, fluidity or a volatile environment. Where the only constant in life is change itself, and nothing can be anticipated with certainty. Just as I strolled around the corner yesterday to see this beautifully conceived, playful and engaging sculpture, Test Site and the Tate Modern days came to mind.
📍Museu Nacional dos Coches, Belém
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