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, a historic industrial complex in Oberschöneweide acquired from musician Bryan Adams, houses a team of a dozen full-time employees 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 with clocks and distorted reflections, while her best-known works include 2019 sculptures commissioned for the rooftop of The Metropolitan Museum of Art and a contribution to the 2017 Venice Biennale.
This article matters because it offers an intimate look at the practice of a major contemporary artist whose work questions fundamental perceptions of time, reality, and human existence. Kwade's rise from childhood behind the Iron Curtain to international prominence—with works at The Met, the Venice Biennale, and Pace Gallery—highlights how conceptual sculpture can engage broad audiences with philosophical ideas. The piece also underscores the importance of studio infrastructure and collaboration in realizing large-scale art, reflecting broader trends in how successful artists operate today.