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A special exhibition at the Nationalgalerie – Berlin State Museums
From December 21, 2023, Ulrich Rückriem's main work, the "40 Floor Reliefs", will be presented in the upper hall of the Neue Nationalgalerie on the occasion of his 85th birthday. This installation of forty square granite slabs serves as a homage to Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.
Image gallery
Ulrich Rückriem, 40 Bodenreliefs 1998,2023, Installationsansicht Neue Nationalgalerie, 2009
The current three-week exhibition is a revival of the work designed specifically for the Neue Nationalgalerie in 1998.
The renowned German sculptor Ulrich Rückriem (born 1938) donated his important work "40 Floor Reliefs" to the Nationalgalerie in 1998. Known for his massive, often divided stone sculptures, Rückriem placed forty square panels in the emptied glass hall of the Neue Nationalgalerie in 1998. These "40 floor reliefs" were included in the collection of the Nationalgalerie and were already on display in various versions in 2004 and 2009. Now the Neue Nationalgalerie is presenting the revival of this installation, which was designed specifically for the museum's unique architecture, on the occasion of the artist's 85th birthday.
The 40 granite slabs were originally quarried and prepared in Normandy. Their dimensions of 120 x 120 cm correspond exactly to the floor tiles in Mies van der Rohe's hall. Rückriem aims for a loose arrangement of the stones, which should be distributed in a "chessboard" manner across the hall floor. This arrangement creates a playful rhythm compared to the strict grid of the interior. The typical, porous, broken surface structure of the stones creates an organic counter-element to the functional architecture made of glass and steel. The stones act as "disturbances" that direct the eye downwards, emphasize the horizontal layout of the building and restrict visitors' free strolling in the hall. Despite the otherwise open hall and the view in all directions, the installation takes on a landscape dimension.
The Nationalgalerie's collection includes various works by Ulrich Rückriem, including the large stone massif "Granit (Normandy)" from 1985 and the "Stela for Mies" from 2004, which stands permanently on the lawn on the south side of the Neue Nationalgalerie. The dimensions of the "Stela for Mies" correspond exactly to the floor plan of 120 x 120 cm of the "40 floor reliefs" and mathematically represent approximately the 40 "floor reliefs" placed one on top of the other.
Ulrich Rückriem, born on September 30, 1938, celebrated his 85th birthday this year. As early as 1977, he formulated his artistic approach with the words: "What I do is the minimal, the simple," emphasizing the importance of making people look closer when there is little to see. The artist was always interested in setting up his sculptures in such a way that a dialogue with the surroundings was created and specifically looked for suitable locations in the city or the landscape before he began designing.
With the "40 Floor Reliefs" the Neue Nationalgalerie continues the tradition of architectural interventions by artists such as Monica Bonvicini, who are dedicated to Mies van der Rohe and his architecture
