Talk with Dr. Joachim Jäger, Neue Nationalgalerie

Already in Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s architectural sketches one recognizes that the connection between sculpture and nature forms an integral part of his thinking about architecture. The building materials he frequently used, such as green Tinos marble or walnut wood, evoke associations with veining that underscore the theme of the house as an organism. The architect, who was influenced by the natural philosophical writings of his time, brings nature into architecture on another level: The water basins, geometrically laid out like the houses and allowing for numerous reflections, create moving surfaces that, together with the incidence of light, form an ever-changing backdrop for the sculptures. The sculpture garden of the Neue Nationalgalerie was part of the comprehensive renovation and redesign of the recently reopened museum. Dr. Joachim Jäger, as a profound expert on the building, its history and its specific conception, explains in conversation the interplay of nature, sculpture and architecture using the iconic building as an example.