Art and Documentary Photography - Loading By_the_roadside___3101_-_Munich_(Nordhaide).jpg

Munich (Nordhaide), Germany
# 3101
3/2022
Part of the facade of a shopping mall consists of aluminum panels in which the environment is reflected. The panels cast unsettled light reflections on the asphalt of the sidewalk.

Art and Documentary Photography - Loading By_the_roadside___3450_-_The_Hague_.JPG

The Hague, The Netherlands
# 3450
5/2022
Platform of the metro station in The Hague Central Station. Numerous reflections can be seen in the front window of a waiting train.

Art and Documentary Photography - Loading By_the_roadside___3444_-_Rotterdam.jpg

Rotterdam, The Netherlands  
# 3444
5/2022
Art Depot in the Rotterdam Museum Park: The 40-metre-high, six-storey depot in Rotterdam's Museum Park on 25 May 2022. It has a mirrored facade with a total area of 6609 square metres and was opened by the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, designed by the architectural firm MVRDV. The surroundings are reflected in the façade of the museum.

Events News
Exhibition Michael Nguyen "In the Realm of Reflections and Lights" at Gauting Town Hall (Greater Munich) as part of the awarding of the Günther Klinge Culture Prize 2021
michael nguyen
Jun 13, 2022
Michael Nguyen was awarded the Günther Klingel Prize of the municipality of Gauting in 2021 for special achievements in photography. As part of the awarding of the Günther-Klinge-Prize 2021, a six-week solo photo exhibition can be admired in the town hall of the municipality of Gauting. Michael Nguyen was awarded the Günther Klinge Culture Prize 2021 by the municipality of Gauting for special achievements in photography. 

Since 1980, the municipality of Gauting has awarded the Günther Klinge Culture Prize, endowed with 3,000 euros, to individuals or groups for outstanding cultural achievements who are connected to the municipality of Gauting through their life and work. It is named after the entrepreneur, patron of the arts and honorary citizen of Gauting Günther Klinge, who died in 2009 at the age of 99. The public award ceremony will take place end of June 2022.

On exhibit are 15 large-format photographs from Michael Nguye’s series "In the Realm of Reflections and Lights”.

We can only see ourselves through reflections. In the mirror, on water, and on every shiny surface. The truth is, our reflections are coming from anything that reflects light, which is everything not completely dark. So we see ourselves in the meat we eat, in the wine we drink, the job we do, in the clothes we wear, in our parents, our children, our friends, in the closets. In others’ eyes as well in their words and actions. To us and to themselves. We can even see the past through its reflections coming from a billion light-years. The world is somehow our own reflection.

The question is, with all reflections given back to us, can we truly see ourselves?

Look at these photos. Of course, we see the beautiful symmetry image consisting of a building and its reflection on the still pond, the wonderful fractions of the outside on the windows, the painting-like distorted reflections on the water. Water is not only its former self it used to be, it now holds the projection of things it mirrors. The windows now are the eyes, keeping every light particle of the outside world they never forget.

And when the photographer takes those photos, which are in fact his reflections on the world, he sees himself and hopefully also finds his true self.


Text by Thanh Tung


Discover the complete series at Michael Nguyen’s website.

Exhibition:
Michael Nguyen
In the Realm of Reflections and Lights
Photographs

28.7.2022 - 8.9.2022

Gemeinde Gauting 
Rathaus Gauting
Bahnhofstr. 7
D-82131 Gauting

Michael Nguyen | Nguyensminiaturen

Nguyensminiaturen, Photography by Michael Nguyen, Munich, Gauting, Architecture, Urban
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