ALICJA KWADE
KALASATAMA

KALASATAMA, HELSINKI, FINLAND
PERMANENT INSTALLATION SINCE 2022

Originally seen in Vallisaari in the summer of 2021 as part of the Helsinki Biennial, the two works, PARS PRO TOTO and BIG BE-HIDE were permanently relocated to the Kalasatama neighborhood of Helsinki. The original concepts for these works were first imagined in different parts of the world, and together, populate an area that once served as a fishing port in the city.

PARS PRO TOTO consists of eight stone spheres reminiscent of planet shapes, which Kwade created primarily from Nordic rocks. Visible on the surfaces of the sculptures is the layering process that formed them, condensed strata documenting the passage of time. The Latin title of the work, Pars Pro Toto, "a part for the whole," expresses one of the dimensions of the work: from atoms to solar systems, the structures of the universe keep repeating. The existence of individuals is contrasted with the massive scale of time and matter.PARS PRO TOTO, 2018
8 stone globes perfectly round
uniqueBIG BE-HIDE, which is located on Parrulaituri, consists of a natural rock and a metallic copy thereof, which are placed symmetrically on both sides of a two-sided mirror. Depending on the angle from which the work is approached, the mirror either reflects or creates an illusion of transparency; it both hides and supplements. The environment reflected in the mirror creates a portal through landscapes and realities.
BIG BE-HIDE, 2019
stone, aluminum, mirror, powder-coated stainless steel
190 x 230 x 270 cm; 74.8 x 90.6 x 106.3 in
unique

© Images Maija Toivanen

FEATURED ARTIST

ALICJA KWADE
Alicja Kwade (b. 1979 in Katowice, Poland) lives and works in Berlin. Her work investigates and questions universally accepted notions of space, time, science, and philosophy by breaking down frames of perception in her work. Kwade’s multifaceted practice spans sculpture, public installation, works on paper, videos, and photography.

Most recently, she has exhibited in the following museums, among others: Lehmbruck Museum, Duisburg; Berlinische Galerie – Landesmuseum für Moderne Kunst, Berlin, Germany; Langen Foundation, Neuss, Germany; MIT List Visual Arts Center, Cambridge, USA; Dallas Contemporary, Dallas, USA; Espoo Museum of Mod...
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