Sperrgebiet 

Installation, Video 19:10 Minutes 

2023 

In Sperrgebiet, a German woman traverses a picturesque yet hostile landscape, navigating the ruins of an abandoned village in a restricted area. The stoic environment mirrors her inner turmoil, highlighting the tension between external control and personal experience. In this highly regulated space, her movements and thoughts are dictated, confining both body and mind. Armed with her „dust catcher,“ she embarks on a journey to reclaim her dreams. Here, dust becomes a potent symbol of freedom and mortality—permeating the body, transforming it into a restricted zone, numbing the senses, and obstructing perception.

This work was created during in a diamond mine in Namibia, which also functions as a nature reserve. The Sperrgebiet, a restricted area normally inaccessible, provided a unique backdrop for an exploration of control and liberation. The project was made possible with the support of OMDis Town Transform Agency in Oranjemund and sponsorship from Namdeb Diamond Corporation. Collaborations with experts from the mine—including geologists and environmental scientists—offered valuable insights into the site’s complex ecosystem and significance.

This piece continues Kom’s ongoing investigation into dust as a material and metaphor, exploring its dual nature as both liberating and limiting. By addressing the environmental and psychological effects of dust, Sperrgebiet reflects on the complex interplay between human agency and ecological forces in controlled and restricted landscapes.