Michael Wesely: Neue Nationalgalerie 160401_201209

An Archeology of Time

There is more to numbers than sums; they can also conceal histories, too. In this case, world-famous architectural history. For five years the renowned Neue Nationalgalerie (New National Gallery), designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, was closed to the public for renovation. Nevertheless, the photographer Michael Wesely was able to accommodate “four guests” inside the iconic building: four cameras, each one pointing in a different direction, were installed on the ceiling. Every day they took between 360 and 730 pictures with an exposure time of 90 seconds each. Edited into bewitching montages, this fascinating synopsis allows readers to envision the building’s metamorphosis as it was undergoing renovations. The long exposure time is an aesthetic coup, for ephemeral, restless, rapid movements contrast with the still, timeless quality of the architecture, presenting a sophisticated interplay of identity and change.

This book is published on the occasion of the re-opening of the Neue Nationalgalerie, Berlin, August 2021. It is a slightly altered special edition of the original numbered edition of April 2021.

About the Author:

The photographer Michael Wesely (*1963) is a celebrated master of the long exposure. His precise approach to this photographic technique, tailored to each object, brought him world renown. His unique aesthetic can be found in numerous exhibitions and collections around the globe. He lives in Berlin.