A sculpture referencing Germany’s colonial past and issues around the restitution of artefacts has been installed in the Humboldt Forum, a new museum complex being built in Berlin. The bronze work—a black flag at half-mast—is by Kang Sunkoo, an artist who has collaborated with Ai Weiwei, and was chosen after an open call for designs.
Called Statue of Limitations—a play on words referring to legal statutes that can serve as an obstacle to restitution claims—the black patinated sculpture is separated into two parts. While the 11-metre tall lower half of the flag is in a stairwell of the Humboldt Forum between the second and third floors, the upper half will be placed off-site in a square in the so-called African Quarter of the Berlin’s Wedding district making a direct link to the city’s colonial history. The sculpture in the square will be a temporary installation to celebrate the inauguration of the museum. It will be installed once the two floors of Humboldt Forum finally open to the public, probably in spring next year.