Stella Sella, 2023

patinated bronze, stone

123.5 x 59 x 128 cm



Exhibited at Jardin des Tuileries, as part of Paris+ par Art Basel’s public program. Organized in collaboration with the Musée du Louvre and curated by Annabelle Ténèze, Director of the Louvre-Lens Museum. 18-22 October 2023.

Alicja Kwade seamlessly combines raw material with everyday objects. In “Stella Sella”, the artist unites a bronze cast of a wooden rocking chair bearing a boulder of equal scale. The rocking chair, typically associated with relaxation, is rendered motionless due to the weighty stone affixed to it, appearing as though it has descended from the celestial realm, challenging the chair's inherent ability to sway. This transformation draws a parallel to the enduring myth of Sisyphus, who was condemned to endlessly push a large boulder up a hill, only to have it roll back down each time. Consequently, Alicja Kwade's "Stella Sella" transcends the ordinary and inspires profound contemplation about our human experience and our position in the universe, all while highlighting the constraints and limitations that shape our perspectives and inform our truths and opinions.

@ Images Archives Mennour