Shibboleth (artwork)

Shibboleth is a 2007 installation artwork by Colombian artist Doris Salcedo, commissioned for the Turbine Hall of Tate Modern in London. The work consisted of a large, deep crack in the floor of the hall, stretching 167 meters (548 ft) in length.

The crack was not simply painted or superficially applied; it was a genuine fissure created by opening up the concrete floor. The width and depth of the crack varied along its length, sometimes appearing as a hairline fracture, and in other places widening into a crevice of considerable depth.

Salcedo intended the work to represent the experiences of immigrants and outsiders in Europe, and more broadly, the themes of division, separation, and trauma. The physical crack embodied the brokenness and estrangement experienced by marginalized groups and reflected on the histories of racism and colonialism. The artist aimed to make visible that which is often unseen or ignored within society.

The title "Shibboleth" itself carries significant weight. A shibboleth is a word or custom whose variations in pronunciation or style are used to differentiate members of ingroups from outgroups. It is often used to identify individuals who do not belong or who are from a foreign region or social class. By naming the artwork "Shibboleth," Salcedo highlighted the ways in which language and cultural practices can be used to exclude and discriminate.

Following the exhibition, the crack was filled in, though the line of the fissure remains visible as a scar in the floor, a permanent reminder of the artwork and its message. The remaining scar continues to provoke thought and discussion about the issues Salcedo's "Shibboleth" addressed.