On display are 10 large-format photographs from the series

SSince 1980, the municipality of Gauting has awarded the Günther Klinge Culture Prize, worth 3,000 euros, to individuals or groups for outstanding cultural achievements that are connected to the municipality of Gauting through their life and work. 

It is named after the entrepreneur, patron and honorary citizen of Gauting Günther Klinge, who died in 2009 at the age of 99. The photographic exhibition 'Michael Nguyen Reflections and in the Realm of Light' will be held at the Gorting City Hall from 28.7.2022 to 13.9.2022 and the public award ceremony will take place at the end of July 2022.Photographs by Michael Nguyen, travelling with the wanderer's third eye in different cities.  

Light and reflections are interdependent and essential to Nguyen's photographs. He succeeds in capturing magical and unique moods. Reflective surfaces, cool materials, clear, reduced forms encourage reflection and exploration. Looking into a reflection opens up new and different perspectives. The viewer is invited to look very closely. There is much to discover. We can only see ourselves through reflections. In the mirror, on water, and on every shiny surface. The truth is, our reflections are coming from anything that reflects light, which is everything not completely dark. So we see ourselves in the meat we eat, in the wine we drink, the job we do, in the clothes we wear, in our parents, our children, our friends, in the closets. In others’ eyes as well in their words and actions. To us and to themselves. We can even see the past through its reflections coming from a billion light-years. The world is somehow our own reflection.

The question is, with all reflections given back to us, can we truly see ourselves? Look at these photos. Of course, we see the beautiful symmetry image consisting of a building and its reflection on the still pond, the wonderful fractions of the outside on the windows, the painting-like distorted reflections on the water. Water is not only its former self it used to be, it now holds the projection of things it mirrors. The windows now are the eyes, keeping every light particle of the outside world they never forget. And when the photographer takes those photos, which are in fact his reflections on the world, he sees himself and hopefully also finds his true self.