NEUERSCHEINUNGEN
Candida Berger, die zweifellos zu den renommiertesten deutschen Fotokünst-
lerinnen gehört (und die mit Werken von oft menschenleeren öffentlichen
Räumen bekannt wurde) und Bert Nienhuis, bekannter niederländischer Port-
rätfotograf, haben unlängst eine bemerkenswerte Ausstellung im Amsterda-
mer Huis Marseille realisiert, zu der ein nicht minder beachtenswerter Katalog
mit fantastischen Bibliotheksfotos erschienen ist:
Books grow out of the ground here / Hier groeien boeken uit de grond
Dutch libraries and librarians photographed by Candida Höfer and Bert Nien-
huis. Amsterdam: Uitgeverij de Bataafsche Leeuw, 2004. 112. S.
ISBN 90 6707 579 5
Preis: 22.50 Euro (+ 12 EUR Porto), zu bestellen über
http://www.huismarseille.nl
Text in holländisch und englisch
Die Website vermittelt auch einen ersten Eindruck von den im Katalog enthal-
tenen Fotos.
Books grow out of the ground here
Not only is this the first time that Candida Höfer is exhibiting in the Nether-
lands, she is also showing work that has never been exhibited before. Her
work can be defined as the evocative mapping of public rooms, halls and
spaces that are shaped by their use. The library has developed as a distinct
subtype within this. The visual quality of her work is timeless and monumen-
tal, greatly refined in her usage of colour and natural light.
The 25 libraries selected for this project not only vary widely in appearance;
they each stand for different types of collections and users. Thus there are
university, public, museum, and private libraries, as well as an ecclesiastical, a
legal and a royal collection. The selection is intended to be a representative
and lavish cross-section of what the Netherlands has to offer.
Bert Nienhuis's portraits of the librarians give a human countenance to the
library. Although often invisible to the public, the librarian is the driving force
behind these collections of books. He, and sometimes she, not only repre-
sents the power and the effectiveness of the book, but also and to an ever-
increasing degree the logistical management so inseparably connected with
the library. With this commission, Bert Nienhuis has again proven his visual
prowess as a portrait photographer.
BIBLIOTHEKSDIENST 38. Jg. (2004), H. 6 829
