The simplicity of the space is underscored by the clear-cut boldness of its furnishings – an altar of sandblasted granite, Düsseldorf artist Günther The light illuminates only the a specially designed chest Uecker designed the Reflec- altar and the wall behind it, organ, chairs, benches and tion and Prayer Room for the enhancing the mystical atmo- seven wooden panels leaning German Bundestag in 1998–99. sphere by separating light against the walls. Uecker Christian and Muslim revela- With sparing architectural and from dark, day from night. explains that ‘the altar marks tion – the desert, suggested by sculptural means, he created Taking his cue from theologi- the centre of an imaginary the sand – has been violated. a space that invites meditation cal tradition, Uecker devised a cross formed by seven panels In a similarly forceful way, and contemplation in the room for spirituality, a space installed in the space’. The hundreds of nails penetrate immediate vicinity of the that encourages a dialogue panels stand on the floor and the surface of the collaged lively activity taking place in among various religions. The are not attached to the walls, cross-shapes on the two panels the parliamentary plenary edge of a raised section of suggesting that they might be leaning against the wall behind chamber. An opening in one floor runs from west to east. removed at any time and taken the altar, which stand for of the walls lights the space Using this line as orientation, on a journey. In this way, they the crosses on which the two indirectly from outside, an worshippers can face both evoke humanity’s essential thieves were crucified on effect that recalls the mystical eastwards, as favoured in homelessness on earth and the either side of Christ at Golga- aura of an early medieval Christian practice, or south- transience of our existence. tha. The ‘wounds’ inflicted by crypt and contrasts strongly wards, in the direction of On them, Uecker used nails, the nails allude tellingly to with Sir Norman Foster’s light- Jerusalem and Mecca, whence paint, sand, ash and stones to the cruelty with which the filled architecture elsewhere the light enters the chapel. generate images that give com- message of reconciliation in the building. Across from Illuminated display cases in pelling expression to arche- propagated by various reli- this is another opening, identi- the antechamber house liturgi- typal human experiences. Two gions is ignored in the world cal in size, through which cal implements belonging to of the panels have a covering outside the chapel. The two visitors enter the chapel from a number of religions. The of sand and are pierced from crosses on these panels, and an antechamber. Thus the central case contains Uecker’s the rear by stones. The artist the sand indicative of the earthly and divine realms – Book of Job, an artist’s book drove the stones through the desert, conjure up the world the former in the shape of produced in the printing wood so powerfully that the of the Bible, that region in the visitors, the latter in the form studio of Har-El in Jaffa, Tel front of the panels splintered Middle East in which divine of light – arrive in the space Aviv, using the complex terra- at these points, indicating that promise and despair at its from opposite directions. graph process. the legendary locus of Jewish, disregard live cheek by jowl.

Günther Uecker Reflection and Prayer Room in the Reichstag Building Uecker does not end on this Günther Uecker was born painful note. He has the nails in Wendorf (Mecklenburg) in detach themselves from the 1930 and attended the art crosses and spread upwards sand and paint flowing in a academies in Berlin and like a cloud or bird. In this way kind of circular motion across Düsseldorf, before joining the he establishes a link to the all seven panels, without Zero group in the early 1960s. Resurrection panel on the beginning or end, people in He had already begun to use right-hand wall, in which all the chapel find themselves nails as his principal material, earthly things seem to have amid the infinite stream of often painting them white, been left behind in a dynamic time. Not least for members of driving them into panels or mass of nails thrusting out- parliament, the chapel offers rotating discs in regular wards from the white ground a space for meditation, reflec- arrangements. He created serial like a cosmic cloud of ‘danc- tion and self-examination, a structures in this way and ing stars’. The ash and earth place not far from the hectic achieved optical kinetic effects on the two panels in the dark political activity in the plenary through a subtle play of light area of the chapel allude to chamber, a place in which and shade. Soon expanding human mortality. These panels they can take pause and think his activities to include stage again make use of sand, stones things over. Wolfgang Thierse, design and large installations, and nails, but the nails here former President of the German he began to employ such plain have a shielding, protective Bundestag, has said: ‘In a materials as linen, wood, sand 9 November 1938. In the function: they seem to hold place like this politicians are and ash, emphasising their installation Zeichen und back the stones, recalling entirely themselves, not materiality and investing Schriften (Signs and Writings), Christ’s admonishment ‘He holders of office or elected them with a symbolic charge. which he presented in the that is without sin among you, representatives: here, as Increasingly, his installations Bundestag’s Paul Löbe let him first cast a stone’ created beings they face their and other artistic work came Building in 2002, he wrote (John 8:7). In other words, the maker. Obligations deriving to address the existential messages of peace from the stones should not be used for from party membership recede threats to which humanity is Bible and the Quran on two punishment and reckoning into the background and exposed in the modern age pieces of cloth, one for the which must await divine Last awareness increases of the and to call for greater respect Bible, one for the Quran, and Judgement. Time seems to limits and hazards of political for human values. In 1996 he hung the cloths opposite each stand still in both these panels, activity. Where could such a showed the installation Fall other. Splintered wooden yet stirrings of movement can place be more appropriate in the German Bundestag in stakes appeared between be made out here too, in the than at the heart of our democ- remembrance of the pogrom them, symbolising violation sand. With traces of ash, earth, racy, in Parliament?’ in Germany on the night of and destruction.

Published by the German Bundestag, Secretariat of the Art Council, Platz der Republik 1, 11011 Berlin, Germany; written and devised by Andreas Kaernbach, Curator of the Art Collection of the German Bundestag; translated by the Language Service of the German Bundestag, in cooperation with Michael Foster; designed by büro uebele visuelle kommunikation, Art at the German Bundestag Stuttgart (Angela Klasar); printed by MEDIALIS Offsetdruck GmbH, Berlin; Günther Uecker Photographs © Nic Tenwiggenhorn, Berlin, © studio kohlmeier, Berlin (Title)

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