ALICJA KWADE: TELOS TALES

Pace is pleased to present Alicja Kwade: Telos Tales, an exhibition of new work by Alicja Kwade.

May 7 – August 15, 2025

At the center of Alicja Kwade: Telos Tales are three large-scale sculptures in which powder-coated steel frames gradually transform into amorphous, tree-like bronze forms. The architectural, linear structures slowly dissolve into organic shapes, as if one material is evolving into the other. The sculptures unfold into a distinct, self-contained configuration—complete in itself, yet intrinsically connected to a larger conceptual framework. Each work is named for a concept from Aristotle’s fourfold theory of causes: Causa Materialis, Causa Efficiens, and Causa Formalis. The fourth cause, Causa Finalis—the purpose, or telos—remains unnamed but not unconsidered: it is implicit in the exhibition’s title.

Another work, PhaseChase, explores the intangible nature of time. This piece consists of a highly polished stainless steel pipe suspended from the ceiling. Embedded within the pipe is a double-sided clock face, mirrored from within to create a multiplication of reflections that appear to dissolve into a curved, reflective surface.

Though distinct in form and concept, these works engage in a dynamic dialogue. Material and time intersect, literally and conceptually, generating a space in which perception, causality, and temporality become intertwined.

In this immersive exhibition, Kwade deepens her long-standing interest in time as a structuring principle of perception, reality, and causality. Her works reflect on the cyclical, linear, and ultimately elusive nature of temporal experience and its interdependence on both natural and constructed systems—an ongoing theme in her practice. This presentation showcases new developments in Kwade’s engagement with material, form, and concept, and it exemplifies the experimental spirit that has defined her work from the very beginning of her career.