Berlin-based Polish artist Alicja Kwade opens her studio ahead of a major solo show, revealing the creative process behind her sculptural works that explore time, uncertainty, and reality. Her studio, acquired in 2017 from musician Bryan Adams, is a historic industrial complex in Oberschöneweide where she employs a team of a dozen full-time staff and up to 30 freelancers, including stone masons, welders, and architects. Kwade's recent high-profile exhibition at Pace Gallery in New York featured suspended stainless-steel cylinders embedded with clocks, and her notable public commissions include sculptures for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's rooftop and the 2017 Venice Biennale.
This article matters because it offers an intimate look at the working environment and philosophical underpinnings of a major contemporary artist whose work engages with fundamental questions of perception and existence. Kwade's rising prominence—evidenced by her Met and Venice Biennale installations—positions her as a significant voice in conceptual sculpture, and the studio's scale and collaborative model reflect the growing infrastructure behind successful international artists.