Meldung vom 17.12.2025
Vienna, 16 December 2025 – With Infinity of Light, artist Billi Thanner unveils a new monumental light sculpture installed on the twin towers of Vienna’s Votive Church. The project was presented for the first time in its artistic, technical and cultural-historical dimensions during a press conference and ceremonial opening held inside the church. The official illumination took place on the evening of 16 December 2025; the work will remain visible in the urban space until 1 August 2026.
Following widely acclaimed works such as “Stairway to Heaven”,Thanner thus returns to one of Vienna’s most prominent sacred and urban landmarks. The aluminium sculpture, measuring 28 by 8 metres and shaped as the symbol of infinity, establishes a horizontal line of light between the vertical towers of the neo-Gothic church. A scientific point of reference underpins the work: the eight minutes a ray of light requires to travel from the sun to the earth. Thanner translates this constant into a spatial image of continuity, balance and connection—deliberately avoiding any religious or ideological elevation.
Billi Thanner describes the impulse behind the work as a long-maturing inner movement: “Light is life to me. And at some point, the impulse emerged to make infinity visible through light—not abstractly, but tangibly within the urban space, suspended between the two towers of this church.”
Despite its formal clarity, the realisation of the sculpture was a highly complex process, involving more than two years of planning and development. Technical precision, resistance to weather conditions, permits, structural engineering, safety concepts and a tightly scheduled installation period formed the framework of the project. Thanner emphasises the collective nature of this endeavour.
Infinity of Light was realised as an independent project, supported by private sponsors and patrons. As with previous works, the artist waived a personal fee as well as any public or ecclesiastical funding. The sculpture thus stands as an expression of artistic autonomy—one that understands public space as a site of shared experience.
Selected Quotes:
“I deliberately chose the title ‘Infinity of Light’ — as a reminder of what connects us all: light.”
Billi Thanner (Artist and Initiator)
“Billi Thanner is an exceptional artist whose work opens up spaces through light, shifts perception and creates visibility—not only in a physical, but also in a societal sense. Her practice moves between sculpture, concept, action and spirituality, without ever succumbing to unambiguous interpretation.”
Walter Seidl (Curator & Artistic Director, Spark Art Fair)
“We do not merely preach eternity—we live it.”
Dr Josef Farrugia (Priest, Votive Church)
“What motivates me is the realisation of exceptional projects and turning our clients’ visions into reality. When Billi Thanner approached me with her idea, I knew immediately: I had to be part of this.”
Ing. Matthias Maringer (Managing Director, Lichtprojekt)
“My motivation for supporting this project lay in my desire to back people who mobilise every possible resource to realise a vision—and who pursue no financial goals beyond recognition.”
Ing. Martin Sieger (Master Builder, Archdiocese of Vienna)
High-resolution images documenting the installation process, along with further press information, are available for immediate publication via this
LINK. Image material from the opening celebrations and society photography is subject to an embargo until 18 December. Photo credits are included in the respective captions. Billi Thanner and other protagonists of the project are available for selected interviews.
Kind regards
Christoph Steiner
Christoph Steiner
PR International
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1010 Vienna
T: +43 650 32 33 166
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c.steiner@pr-international.com