The quasi-scientific test arrangements by the Berlin-based artist Alicja Kwade are reminiscent of surreal and phantasmagorical constellations and objects. It cannot be ruled out that the artist, born in Poland, uses the association with her literary namesake ironically for the purpose of connecting the complex, philosophical poetry of the mathematician Lewis Carroll with her oeuvre. Many of Kwade’s artistic works deal with the motif of the doppelganger. Those who become involved with her work will not be able to explain it on their own. Its fascination lies in the skillful overlaying and occasional inconsistency of scientific and social realities. What is generally regarded as following a set pattern is called into question and refuted. In her most recent installation for the SCHIRN Rotunda, the artist deals with the actual movement of time which will have a direct impact on the space and on visitors alike.

With her installation “Die bewegte Leere des Moments” (The Void of the Moment in Motion), Alicja Kwade opens up a space of its own for the viewer, a space that offers possibilities for new perspectives and considerations, increases the viewer’s powers of concentration, and sharpens all his senses. What do time, motion, and space mean for the individual? To what extent do scientific findings provide orientation and support in this specific constellation?