Siemens Art Spotlight

About the artwork

Brigitte Kowanz's 2010 artwork "Light Up" consists of dynamically shaped neon tubes mounted on a shiny red lacquered wooden surface. Upon closer inspection, the glowing red neon tubes form the word "Light Up," which is difficult to decipher at first glance. The composition is characterized by expressive lines arranged almost in a circle. The "L" in particular is tilted strongly to the left, while the other letters are arranged in a circle. The letters seem to interlock and are partially covered by the shiny surface behind the neon tubes. The red lacquered wooden surface appears at first to be a random splash of color, but upon closer inspection reveals the outer lines of the "Light Up" lettering, which are slightly offset. With "Light Up," Kowanz demonstrates how light, as an immaterial sign, influences our perception. The combination of neon light and writing is reminiscent of urban sign culture, but instead of information or advertising, it creates a poetic reflection on the relationship between space, language and light.

Selected works and exhibitions

• “Remember the Future” – Galerie Krinzinger, Vienna, Austria (2024)
• “realm of experience – out of the blue” – LVM, Münster, Germany (2021)
• “poetics of reality (encoded)” – Max Goelitz, Munich, Germany (2021)
• “ALWAYS A WAY ALWAYS AWAY” – Zürich SBB, Europaallee, Zurich, Switzerland (2019–2021)
• “Lost under the Surface” – Museum Haus Konstruktiv, Zurich, Switzerland (2020)
• “In Light of Light” – La Biennale di Venezia, Austrian Pavilion, Venice, Italy (2017)
• “Position – N 46°38′47″ E 14°53′31″” – Galerie im Taxispalais, Innsbruck, Austria (2011)
• “Infinity and Beyond” – Museum Liaunig, Neuhaus, Austria (2007–2008)
• “In vivo – In vitro” – Max-Planck-Institut, Münster, Germany (2006)

About the artwork

"The Wings" is a group of four monumental sculptures created by architect and artist Daniel Libeskind for the 2015 World Expo in Milan. Each sculpture stands ten meters high, weighs 15 tons, and is made from matte-polished aluminum. Their form resembles an open pair of wings, and the multi-angled structures are also accessible from within. After the World Expo, the sculptures were installed at four major Siemens locations: Berlin, Munich, Erlangen, and Milan. Together, they form an “Innovation Bridge” that connects historically significant sites of the company with the wider world. The three installations in Germany, in particular, represent a symbolic axis at the heart of Siemens’ legacy. Two of the sculptures, located in Berlin and Munich, feature integrated light and sound installations. With 5,000 LEDs, their surfaces transform into digital media façades, accompanied by a sound composition developed by Daniel Libeskind in collaboration with composer Caleb Townsend.

Selected works and exhibitions:

• “Ngaren: Museum of Humankind” – Rift Valley, Kenya (2024)
• “MO Museum” – MO Museum, Vilnius, Lithuania (2018)
• “Sapphire” – Berlin, Germany (2017)
• “Leuphana University“ – Central Building, Lüneburg, Germany (2017)
• “Zlota 44” – Warsaw, Poland (2016)
• “The Contemporary Jewish Museum” – San Francisco, USA (2008)
• “Danish Jewish Museum” – Copenhagen, Denmark (2004)
• “Studio Weil” – Port d’Andratx, Spain (2003)
• “Imperial War Museum North” – Manchester, UK (2001)
• “Felix-Nussbaum-Haus“ – Cultural History Museum, Osnabrück, Germany (1998)

About the artwork

The monumental sculpture “Schwesterngruppe” (Sisters’ Group) by Georg Baselitz has stood in the atrium of the Siemens headquarters in Munich since June 2016. This nearly four-meter-tall, two-ton bronze sculpture features a tightly connected trio of women standing arm in arm. The intricacies of the work only become apparent upon close observation. The sculpture was first crafted in wood, then cast in bronze, and finally treated with a special finish to create the desired black patina. According to Baselitz, the group represents a “team” symbolizing unity and solidarity. The piece references the iconography of the Three Graces — a classical motif representing beauty, charm, and joy. Baselitz reinterprets this theme with powerful and contemporary visual language. The group of figures also reflects visual memories from Baselitz’s childhood in his hometown of Deutschbaselitz.

Selected works and exhibitions

• “The Last Decade” – Sakıp Sabancı Museum, Istanbul (2024/2025)
• “A Confession of my Sins” – White Cube Gallery, London (2024)
• “adler barfuß” – Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac, Salzburg & Seoul (2024)
• “Baselitz – Academy” – Gallerie dell’Accademia, Venice (2019)
• “Georg Baselitz. The Heroes” – Städel Museum, Frankfurt (2016)
• “Remix” – ALBERTINA Museum, Vienna (2007)
• “Zero for the Painter” – Kunstverein Braunschweig (2006)

About the artwork

The black-and-white photographs by Herlinde Koelbl portray four outstanding researchers of our time: chemist Richard Zare, immunologist Faith Osier, theoretical physicist Wolfgang Ketterle, and microbiologist Emmanuelle Charpentier. In these portraits, each subject raises an open hand toward the camera — inscribed with a key message from their research — creating a striking visual metaphor that makes scientific insight quite literally “tangible.” These four portraits are part of the photo project Fascination with Science – 60 Encounters with Leading Scientists of Our Time, created between 2015 and 2020. The series includes portraits of 60 internationally renowned scientists and Nobel laureates, each shown within their scientific environment. With her camera, Koelbl explores the special relationship between the portrayed individuals and their fields of study — revealing not only their outward appearance but also the inner passion that drives them. The deliberate use of light and shadow plays a central role, accentuating the scientists’ facial expressions and lending emotional depth to each image. Each photograph tells a story of curiosity, the desire for understanding, and the tireless pursuit of knowledge.

About the artist

Herlinde Koelbl (*1939) is considered one of the most prominent German photographers and documentary filmmakers of our time. After studying fashion design in Munich, she turned to photography in the 1970s and quickly gained recognition through her reports for leading media outlets such as Die Zeit, Stern, and The New York Times. Koelbl achieved international acclaim with her long-term project Traces of Power (1991–1998), in which she photographed and interviewed 15 influential figures from politics and business over the course of seven years. The resulting photobook offers compelling documentation of how people are shaped and changed by power and public responsibility. Her artistic practice is centered on key themes such as nature and transformation, social structures, and the development of individual personalities. Long-term projects are characteristic of her approach, often following her subjects over many years. Through this process, she creates not only powerful portraits but also visual narratives of personal and social change.

Sustainability II features flowing, translucent forms drifting through space with a sense of weightlessness and movement. Soft tones of green, teal, yellow, and beige blend and overlap, creating depth, rhythm, and a gentle visual flow. The curved lines evoke wind or water currents, suggesting lightness and constant transformation. Transparency allows the layers to merge, almost like a quiet choreography in space. The color palette reflects themes of sustainability and nature: green and teal stand for growth and responsibility, while yellow adds energy and optimism. The composition conveys transparency, openness, and balance between technology and nature, inviting reflection on responsibility and future-oriented thinking.

About the artwork

Thomas Struth's photographic installation "Coordinates: A Curated Siemens History" (2017) was created in collaboration with the Siemens Arts Program and curator Alexandra von Stosch for the Palais of Siemens' corporate headquarters in Munich. From approximately 2,000 archival materials, Struth selected 57 images and combined them with his own photographs taken at Siemens locations in Berlin, Erlangen, Forchheim, and Alpharetta (USA). His selection followed thematic, geographic, and chronological criteria, with a particular focus on the people who shaped the company across different eras. While his new photographs depict technical interiors in muted tones and clear compositions, the historical images appear more fragmented, creating a visual tension between documentary precision and historical context. The result is an artistic reflection on industrial development, technological innovation, and the evolving culture of enterprise.

Selected works and exhibitions

• „Nature & Politics" – Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao (2019); Martin-Gropius-Bau, Berlin (2016)
• "Thomas Struth: Photographs" – Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (2014)
• "Figure Ground" – Haus der Kunst, Munich (2017)
• "Thomas Struth: Photographs 1978–2010" – Museu Serralves, Porto; Whitechapel Gallery, London; K20, Düsseldorf (2011)
• "Museum Photographs" – Hamburger Kunsthalle, Hamburg (1993)
• "Strangers and Friends" – Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto (1995)
• "Documenta IX" – Kassel (1992)"Portraits" – Sprengel Museum, Hanover (1997)
• "Directions" – Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington D.C. (1992)