Neue Nationalgalerie van Mies van der Rohe, met Matthäuskirche op de achtergrond, Berlijn after 1968

Curator: This captivating print presents a view of Mies van der Rohe's Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin, likely taken shortly after its completion in 1968, juxtaposed with the Matthäuskirche in the background. It’s quite striking, isn’t it? Editor: Absolutely! It gives me this instant feeling of serenity mixed with imposing coldness. The rigid lines of the gallery against the softer, almost yearning spire of the church… it's a powerful visual dialogue, if somewhat melancholic. Curator: The composition certainly highlights that contrast. Van der Rohe's steel and glass pavilion was conceived as a temple of art, a modern response to classicism. Placing it alongside a traditional church creates a conversation about faith and culture, tradition and modernity in postwar Berlin. Editor: It makes you think about what we choose to preserve and what we let fade, both as individuals and as a society. I wonder if that sky could use some ominous clouds. Curator: The print medium itself adds another layer. Photography during this era was pivotal in shaping architectural discourse. It captured the utopian ideals and sometimes stark realities of Modernism and its integration into the urban landscape. Editor: It’s like capturing a memory just as the city begins its next chapter. Thinking about how much history that land has seen, that building has sheltered. A great picture; almost feels like the quiet before a song starts. Curator: Indeed. This photograph prompts us to reflect on how we shape our world, how we decide what’s worthy of remembrance, and how our monuments tell silent stories for future generations. Editor: Very cool. And it all starts with how the photograph speaks to the emotions; otherwise it is all empty forms and stone and glass. A wonderful paradox!