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18th Aug 2018

Man hospitalised after falling into ‘Descent into Limbo’ artwork

Kyle Picknell

The artwork is 2.5m deep but gives the impression of an infinite drop

A man has been hospitalised after falling into British artist Anish Kapoor’s ‘Descent into Limbo (1992)’ in a museum in Portugal.

The man, believed to be a 60-year-old Italian, was taken to hospital after the accident, which saw him fall into the big hole in the middle of the floor.

Fortunately, the drop was only 2.5m, rather than being an endless descent into the never-zone. He was taken to hospital afterwards rather than simply disappearing forever into the black void.

Descent into Limbo – Anish Kapoor

The artwork itself, found at the Fundação de Serralves, Museum of Contemporary Art in Portugal, consists of a large cubic building with the black hole at the centre. There are safety protocols in place, including warning signs, but it is typically left completely open for visitors to walk around. 

It has now temporarily been closed by the museum as they investigate what happened but fear not art fans/people who just really like holes, it is set to be reopened again soon.

The man is reportedly recovering in hospital and according to a spokesperson for the Serralves, is “ready to return home soon”.

Anish Kapoor: Works, Thoughts, Experiments is the artist’s first major exhibit in Portugal, and is open until January 6.

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Art,News