Born in Zwickay in 1957, German photographer Thomas Florschuetz’s reputation grew from his large format “tableaux”, collages of pictures taken of his own body. Since then, his work has evolved towards architecture, specifically focusing on intermediary and ephemeral urban landscapes.

In Paris, the Goethe Institut is presenting "Museumsinsel", a selection of several large format prints taken from the series "Enclosure" and "Palastbilder". His latest series, "Enclosure" (Neues Museum) focuses on the New Museum on Berlin’s museum island. Its reconstruction, under the direction of British architect David Chipperfield, provides unique, daily opportunities to capture the changing landscape. “He creates works that provide a new visual density of the photographed object.”

As early as 2005/2006, the "Palastbilder” series confronted different spaces, those of Berlin’s Palais de la République being destroyed. A mirror image of the destruction under way on the other side.
The Palais de la République pictures were published with 13 poems by the great German lyricist Durs Grünbein. “Not everything is destined to exist, it is also good when things disappear. Such is the case with this monument that, as it was being destroyed, was captured in these photos.”

Bernard Perrine
Bernard.Perrine1@orange.fr

Thomas Florschuetz
Museumsinsel
Until December 21

Goethe-Institut Paris
17 avenue d’Iéna
75116 Paris
+33 (0)1 44 43 92 30
Monday to Friday 10-21h, Saturday 10-14h

Thomas Florschuetz und Durs Grünbein
"Museumsinsel"
Edition Walther König Cologne
120 pages format 230X280mm