Herzog & de Meuron Basel Ltd.
Rheinschanze 6
4056 Basel, Switzerland
Email: info@herzogdemeuron.com
Phone: +41 61 385 5757
810-40 âThe Incredible World of Photographyâ
18 July 2020
BASEL, SWITZERLAND, 18 July 2020 â In an exhibition conceived and carried out in cooperation with the Jacques Herzog und Pierre de Meuron Kabinett, Basel, the Kunstmuseum Basel presents âThe Incredible World of Photographyâ. From 18 July to 4 October 2020 the exhibition showcases a selection of 406 historical photographs and objects from the Fotosammlung Ruth und Peter Herzog. Since 2015, the collection has been integrated into the holdings of the Kabinett as an independent entity under its original name.
For the Kunstmuseum, the Jacques Herzog und Pierre de Meuron Kabinett, Basel has designed an innovative exhibition scenography that is directly inspired by the setting and methods of the Kabinettâs own archive and display work and its sustained engagement with the rich material spectrum of historical photography. A succession of nine galleries illuminates the Fotosammlungâs unique characterization as an âencyclopedia of lifeâ (Martin Heller, 1989). In each room, the display invites the visitor to sample the ways in which photography presents a vast diversity of motifs and themes, from the contemplation of sets in arrangements on tables to wall projections of solitary images. The design is informed by careful considerations of the presentation and perception of the artifacts (many of which are small format and light-sensitive). These are topics that have similarly occupied Herzog & de Meuron as an architectural practice since many years in the presentation of their own work.
â Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron (July 2020)âOur goal, first and foremost, is to have the estates permanently domiciled in Basel in their entirety, such that they may contribute to the cultural substance of our native city, which has been a lifelong inspiration to us.â
The Jacques Herzog und Pierre de Meuron Kabinett, Basel, is a charitable foundation established in 2015, comprising of three sub-Kabinettsâarchitecture, art, and photographyâwith the aim to keep these holdings intact as a cultural asset and to work with them in their specificity. The selection of photographs and objects is also publicly accessible through the Fotosammlung Online, presented in a first âEditorialâ as an exemplary introduction to the digital counterpart of the collection.
