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François Morellet

Haute et basse tension by François Morellet in the Paul Löbe Building
Haute et basse tension by François Morellet in the Paul Löbe Building
Haute et basse tension by François Morellet in the Paul Löbe Building
Haute et basse tension by François Morellet in the Marie-Elisabeth Lüders Building
Haute et basse tension by François Morellet in the Marie-Elisabeth Lüders Building

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"Haute et basse tension" by François Morellet in the Paul Löbe Building (© German Bundestag/Stephan Klonk)

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"Haute et basse tension" by François Morellet in the Paul Löbe Building (© German Bundestag/Stephan Klonk)

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"Haute et basse tension" by François Morellet in the Paul Löbe Building (© German Bundestag/Stephan Klonk)

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"Haute et basse tension" by François Morellet in the Marie-Elisabeth Lüders Building (© German Bundestag/Stephan Klonk)

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"Haute et basse tension" by François Morellet in the Marie-Elisabeth Lüders Building (© German Bundestag/Stephan Klonk)

born 1926 in Cholet/France, died 2016 in Cholet/France

Against the strict geometric rhythm of the interior hall’s architectural design, French artist François Morellet has set a rhythmical installation of neon tubes: starting with a tightly drawn band of bright red neon, curved yellow, green and blue neon strips hang from the ceiling like festive garlands; they lead through the hall and respond – like Ellsworth Kelly’s aluminium panels on the west façade – to the clear structure of the hall with their own cheerful, lively rhythm.

The work continues in the Marie-Elisabeth Lüders Building and concludes there with a deliberately restrained light installation: a black strip stretched across the space holds a single, angled strip of luminous white neon.

With this minimal, strikingly simple artistic intervention Morellet has created a fascinating spatial concept: barely notice­able during daylight hours, the neon tubes become more and more visible as darkness falls. Then their light fills the entire space and is refracted and reflected repeatedly in the many glazed surfaces and façades – its radiant intensity encompassing the Marie-Elisabeth Lüders Building and even the Chancellery opposite.