Thomas Hirschhorn was born in 1957 in Bern, Switzerland, and has lived and worked in Paris, France, since 1983.

Widely regarded as one of the leading artists of his generation, Hirschhorn is best known for his sculptural constructions made from everyday, mass-produced materials such as cardboard, adhesive tape, plastic, paper and found printed matter. His work brings together references from popular media with the writings of thinkers including Gilles Deleuze, Georges Bataille and Antonio Gramsci. Despite these philosophical foundations, his practice remains deeply inclusive, shaped by what he defines as a “Form-and-Force-Field” in which love, politics, aesthetics and philosophy coexist. This interplay between the “high” and the “low,” combined with his use of sculpture, collage, video and installation, has become the hallmark of his distinctive visual language.

Over the years, Hirschhorn has also realised more than seventy projects in public space, questioning the autonomy and authorship of the artwork while affirming art’s capacity to create direct, equal encounters with others. The process of making is intentionally left visible, becoming a metaphor for individual and collective efforts towards equality. As the artist states, “Form is what gives ethic and clarity in the incommensurable, complex and chaotic world we are living in, today.” Through works ranging from monumental installations, altars, kiosks and monuments to maps and collages, Hirschhorn invites viewers to confront their own visual culture and engage critically with the media, contemporary geopolitical realities and the social conditions of our time.