Trees trees trees

Trees in the Neue Nationalgalerie Berlin? The installation Sticks and Stones by David Chipperfield (1953) fills the upper hall of the Neue National with stripped down tree trunks. The refer to the radically new design by the famous architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (1886-1969).

Mies van der Rohes designs where radical because they looked so totally different, fresh and new for his time. For example the outer glass walls of the Neue Nationalgalerie seem to float. They don't bear the weight of the roof because that weight is being supported by two massive concrete rectangles, covered with beautiful green marble plates, in the middle of the hall and eight steel columns on the outside.

The trees by Chipperfield, who is also an architect, symbolically support the weight of the ceiling as well. They refer to the upcoming renovation of the building, executed by (the same) Chipperfield. The stripped down tree trunks point to this inherent closure for approximately two years. So visit it now whiles you still can!