Untitled (Balustrade)

Monika Sosnowska creates sculptures which allow her to intervene in the formal possibilities and functions of architectural elements, and scrutinise the relationships between space and movement. Warsaw holds a significant place in the artist’s practice. Razed to the ground during World War II, the city was rebuilt between the 1950s and 1970s. During this period, Warsaw was redefined through the architectural and urban planning style known as Polish Modernism, in which a Soviet influence was very dominant. In the post-Soviet era, however, the majority of these buildings fell into disrepair, and were abandoned. These abandoned buildings carry social and psychological references; and their aspects which contain a sense of flow and movement, such as stairs, banisters, and balustrades, are among Sosnowska’s sources of inspiration. The artist takes these forms, and skeletonises, twists and turns, condenses, and elongates them. With Sosnowska’s interventions, it seems as though these components that restrict or define movement in the architecture gain a bizarre dynamic quality, such that they may burst into motion at any moment. The artist on one hand confronts oppressive architecture, and on the other, points to different potential functions of these components.

"Untitled (Balustrade)" takes its cue from a balustrade designed by the Polish architect Oskar Hansen for the collective housing in Lubin. In her sculpture, the artist adds both freedom and movement to this element lining the stairways to ensure safety.