Ahatfenster 2009

This agate window was made by Sigmar Polke, who died in 2010. Instead of using stained glass in the traditional way, Polke chose to create the window out of slices of agate. These stones are naturally patterned, formed over millennia in geological processes. The result is a window that glows from within, with each individual agate capturing and refracting the light in unique ways. Polke wasn't interested in the conventional artistic process of adding color and imagery to glass. He chose to use the inherent qualities of agate. Of course, this wasn't simply a found object: there's a great deal of lapidary work here – the labor of slicing and polishing each stone. The repetitive labor is an important part of the artwork's history, and we need to consider this alongside the longer timeframe of geology. This window is a powerful reminder that materials always have a history, both natural and social.