Material Presence – Basler Münster

Talk und Führung mit Kambiz Shafei, Fotograf und Gian Casper Bott, Leiter Museum Kleines Klingental

What does one see when standing in front of the Basler Münster today? A religious monument, encapsulating the collective cultural memory of generations? Or a building, made of thousands of sandstone blocks which were carved out of their natural environment? In this talk, we look at a variety of ways through which image making can shape alternative narratives of our buildings. These narratives are not necessarily readable in our direct encounter with the site and therefore offer an additional understanding of the role materials play in our building culture. The process of deconstruction and displacement throughout the past 1000 years of the Basler Münster will be reflected upon through the juxtaposition of a series of photographs with historic objects from the Museum Kleines Klingental.