Step into the mesmerizing world of Fujiko Nakaya’s latest fog sculpture, a breathtaking site-specific installation in the sculpture garden of Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin. Fujiko Nakaya’s transient artwork intertwines with Mies van der Rohe’s iconic architecture, creating a captivating dialogue between art, nature, and space.
Fujiko Nakaya. Fog Sculpture in the Sculpture Garden of the Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin. Berlin (Germany), May 3, 2025.
Born in 1933 in Sapporo, Japan, Fujiko Nakaya rose to prominence in the 1960s with the New York-based Experiments in Art and Technology (E.A.T.) collective. She gained global recognition for her pioneering fog sculptures, starting with her groundbreaking work at the 1970 Osaka Expo World’s Fair, where she introduced a system generating pure water fog. Nakaya’s creations redefine sculpture, crafting immersive, ever-shifting experiences that merge atmospheric conditions with artistic vision, inviting visitors to connect with nature in real time.
For this exhibition at the Neue Nationalgalerie, Nakaya transforms the sculpture garden into a dynamic stage. At set intervals, fog formations of varying density—sometimes a delicate mist, other times a near-solid mass—emerge from different sides of the garden. These ethereal clouds weave through the trees and interact with permanent sculptures by Henri Laurens, Wolfgang Mattheuer, and Alicja Kwade, before gently dissipating into the sky.
Mies van der Rohe’s 1968 architectural masterpiece, with its 90-meter glass façade, provides a stunning vantage point to witness the fog’s dance from the museum’s collection level. Visitors can also step into the garden to immerse themselves fully in this fleeting, sensory experience.
The daughter of physicist Ukichiro Nakaya, known for his snow crystal research, Fujiko Nakaya has collaborated across disciplines, including music, dance, architecture, and video art. Educated at Northwestern University and the Sorbonne, she has earned accolades such as the Praemium Imperiale (2018), the French Order Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres (2017), and Japan’s Order of the Rising Sun (2024). A member of the Japan Art Academy since 2023, her work has graced venues like the Philip Johnson Glass House, Fondation Beyeler, Haus der Kunst, and the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao.
The exhibition runs until 14 September 2025. The fog sequences are activated hourly from 11 am to 5 pm (until 7 pm on Thursdays). Each fog sequence lasts 8 minutes.
Fujiko Nakaya: Fog Sculpture in the Sculpture Garden of the Neue Nationalgalerie Berlin. Berlin (Germany), May 3, 2025.
