This assistant is so devoted to her work that she ignores deadlines even in her sleep

The Parisian gallery Massimo de Carlo presents a project by the Scandinavian contemporary artist duo Elmgreen & Dragset: a hyperrealist sculpture of a gallery assistant, installed in the window in full view of passers-by.

The gallery office, usually hidden behind the exhibition space, has been brought to the fore: a large desk occupies the front of the gallery, and behind it sits the assistant, bent forward, apparently asleep, or else in a power-saving mode for human resources.

Visible through the window by day and by night alike, the sculpture invites passers-by to reflect on the condition of women. Who is she? Is she dozing, or has she shut out the outside world for a moment? Is she tired, or simply refusing to do her job? The ambiguity leaves room for many interpretations.

Like many works by Elmgreen and Dragset, “October 2025” blurs the line between fiction and reality, drawing the viewer into a story and prompting them to shape a narrative of their own.

When I begin to fret about deadlines, I simply walk past this woman on the rue de Turenne: no deadline has touched her for days now. But last night two girls by this window said that the sculpture disturbed them greatly, since it was unclear what on earth had happened to this toiler. Nothing has happened; calm yourselves. It is a corporate nap for the enhancement of productivity.