Maurizio Cattelan's NIGHT exhibition fills Berlin's Mies van der Rohe glass hall with historic works and new installations through March 2027.
An exhibition built for the building
The Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin is presenting NIGHT, Maurizio Cattelan's first major solo exhibition in Germany, from 10 September 2026 to 7 March 2027. Curated in close collaboration with the artist, it brings historic pieces together with new commissions inside Mies van der Rohe's glass hall.
Cattelan received the 2026 Preis der Nationalgalerie, and longstanding prize partner BMW documented the opening. This is a current exhibition with a defined run rather than an announced auction or a permanent museum acquisition.
History and belief enter the glass hall
The installation considers themes of memory, power, identity and belief, recasting familiar images so that their meaning becomes less certain. The exhibition uses the transparency and scale of the building as part of the work rather than treating its architecture as a neutral room.
Its title suggests a changed state of perception rather than simply the absence of daylight. The museum's curatorial framing is one interpretation of a contemporary artwork, and visitors can make their own readings on site.
A longstanding automotive arts connection
BMW has supported the Preis der Nationalgalerie since 2006 and previously collaborated with Cattelan and photographer Pierpaolo Ferrari on the electric i3 Spaghetti Car at Rencontres d'Arles in 2016. That earlier project played with images of consumption and technology and provides context for the current sponsorship.
The Berlin exhibition stands on its own as an art programme, not a car launch. BMW's contribution to the partnership is relevant because it brings together contemporary art, design and public cultural institutions.
Planning the Berlin stop
A visit can be combined with the capital's galleries and architectural landmarks, particularly for travellers interested in design beyond traditional painting and sculpture. Exhibition tickets, opening times and any programme events should be confirmed with the Neue Nationalgalerie.
The official image accompanying this feature shows the actual exhibition context. It is not a substitute photograph of a different Cattelan work or a speculative installation rendering.