Sarah Sze: Centrifuge

Centrifuge (2017) is an intricate and densely interconnected environment by artist Sarah Sze (American, born 1969). The artwork comprises found and made objects alongside analogue and digital technologies, with constellations of objects and images spiralling outwards and upwards into the air as if driven by an explosive force. Videos are projected onto the installation and throughout the space, turning this abstract assemblage into an immersive and dynamic experience. Strewn with detritus, Centrifuge resembles an abandoned archaeological site. Nestled among the ruins are clusters of objects and maquettes that compress the expansive environment into intimate microcosms.

Centrifuge was originally commissioned by the acclaimed Nigerian-born curator Okwui Enwezor (1963–2019) for Munich’s Haus der Kunst when he was the institution’s artistic director. It is now part of the M+ Collection. Presented for the first time since its 2017 premiere in Germany, the installation offers a timely commentary on the unstable, image-saturated world that we inhabit, generate, and consume. To accompany the display, Sze will create a newly commissioned work for the M+ Facade.