Pre-position
2023
Carrara, Rinde, Verde Guatemala, Alaska White, Schlesisches Marmor, Macaubas, Aurelio Antico / Praha Gold, Rosso Norwegia, Masi, Alaska Red, Wondergrey, stainless steel
Alicja Kwade
1979, Katowice, Poland
Monumental stone spheres floating in metal, echoing cosmos and Kazakhstan.
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In front of the museum's west entrance and the steps leading toward Al-Farabi Avenue stands Pre-Position, a monumental installation by German artist of Polish origin Alicja Kwade.
Kwade's art blends science, philosophy, and poetry. She transforms stone and metal into fragile-looking constructions that challenge our perception of time and space.
For this work she was inspired by her journey to the Torysh Valley in western Kazakhstan, a site famous for its mysterious stone spheres whose origins are still debated.
The sculpture is composed of nineteen spheres made from sixteen rare stones sourced around the world - from white Carrara marble to Brazilian quartzite. The largest sphere measures two meters across and weighs eleven tons.
At the center rises a tall metal structure, where the stones appear to float in the air, defying gravity. Their arrangement recalls celestial bodies or models of the solar system.
Pre-Position encourages us to think about our place in the universe and about the connections between science, nature, and poetry.
