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EVENT DESCRIPTION
Alicja Kwade’s monumental new sculpture l’ordre des mondes (Totem) makes its world debut at the K11 MUSEA promenade. In collaboration with Pace Gallery, K11 transforms the waterfront into a grand stage for artistic enjoyment. Playfully exploring the connection between human existence and the universe, Kwade uses marble spheres, distinguished by their varied colours and sizes, to symbolise planets and otherworldly realms. They are mounted within a towering structure of chairs — everyday objects that introduce an abstract scale in contrast to the otherwise monumental planets. The artwork challenges the notion of humanity being at the centre of the universe while confronting the power that confronts us when we expand our horizons to contemplate the boundless expanse of space. The title l’ordre des mondes (Totem) is a reference to Italian artist Piero Manzoni’s bronze sculpture Socle du Monde from 1961, on which the inscription must be read upside down. In the act of reading, the pedestal suddenly appears inverted, serving as the foundation for the world resting upon it. Observant yet impartial, Alicja Kwade prompts visitors to reflect on their relationship with the world.
Born in Katowice, Poland in 1979, Kwade is known internationally for sculpture, expansive public installation, film and photography that challenge scientific and philosophical concepts by dismantling the boundaries of perception. Her distinctive artistic language involves reflection, repetition, and the deconstruction and reconstruction of everyday objects and natural materials in an effort to explore the essence of our reality and to examine social structures.
