A central work in Azade Köker’s oeuvre is the sculpture Akkordarbeiterin (Piecework Worker) from 1987, which stands over two metres tall. The figure appears both human and machine-like: its upper body consists of layered fragments of body parts that evoke both ancient Mesopotamian sculptures and technical components. The turned-away face directs its gaze toward the working hand, thereby emphasizing the physical labour of the depicted person. With Akkordarbeiterin, Köker creates a monument to women who worked in factories – particularly to female workers who migrated from Turkey to Germany. The sculpture draws attention to the often demanding conditions of piecework, in which wages depend on the quantity produced and which frequently pushes workers to their physical limits. At the same time, the work combines a powerful formal language with a socially critical perspective, honouring the often invisible labour of migrant women in post-war German society. The sculpture is a unique bronze cast of a terracotta work that is part of the collection of the Museum für Moderne Kunst in Frankfurt am Main. It was most recently on view there in 2024 in the exhibition There is no there there and will be presented in 2026 at Museum Tinguely in Basel in the exhibition Labouring Bodies. The bronze sculpture will also be exhibited in 2026 at the Gropius Bau in Berlin as part of the exhibition Kreuzberg, Kunst und Migration seit 1960. The sculpture has developed a natural patina and is in very good condition.