Matter of Infinity | Materia Nieskoczoności

Desa Unicum
Warsaw, Poland
24 August - 5 September 2026

The exhibition Matter of Infinity (Materia Nieskończoności) presents different interpretations of matter and time. Over more than forty years of artistic practice, Xawery Wolski has developed his own symbolic language, through which he reflects on nature, passing time, infinity, and the ability of matter to preserve traces of time.

A key motif in his work is the Infinity Chains. A single link has neither a beginning nor an end, becoming a physical image of time. Its form, based on a circle or an ellipse, recalls the movement of planets and the natural cycles of the world. When joined together, the links form part of a potentially endless sequence, which can continue to grow through the addition of new elements.

Similar ideas are explored in the Circles, made from hundreds of terracotta beads threaded onto string and sewn onto wooden circular forms. The individual elements come together to create complex structures that resemble living organisms or cosmic systems. Each bead remains distinct while also becoming part of a larger structure based on mutual dependence. The opening at the centre of each composition suggests the idea of a source — a place from which everything emerges and to which everything eventually returns.

The passing of time and the fragility of human existence are also important themes in Wol­ski’s work. An empty piece of clothing becomes a trace of an absent body, reminding us of the limited time of human life. An object created by a person can outlast its owner, preserving the memory of their presence. The motif of the body also appears in works depicting its fragments, referring to the tradition of wax ex-votos — offerings made as expressions of gratitude or prayers for healing.

The artist’s work is also shaped by his constant observation of nature. The Seed, one of the first forms Wolski created, marks the beginning of this exploration. His father, Tadeusz Wolski, was a plant geneticist, so seeds were part of the artist’s world from childhood. The seed becomes a symbol of the continuous renewal of life and the ongoing cycles of nature. Wolski is also inspired by the forces of nature — earth, wind, fire and water — whose presence can be found in the rhythm of spirals, vortices and pulsating structures cast in bronze.

All these themes come together through the gesture. For Wolski, time is something experienced physically, shaped by patience and the repeated act of making. Carving one link after another, piercing paper or threading terracotta beads onto string are all part of a process based on concentration and repetition. Through this recurring gesture, the passage of time becomes visible, while the idea of infinity becomes almost tangible.

Jakub Prange