Monday, January 6, 2020

Gobelin Cloaked Domestic Objects by Ulla-Stina Wikander




The very first craft I tried and practiced at the age of 8 is gobelin making. My mom being an expert in cutwork and all types of needle point work transferred that love to me, so although considered kitsch nowadays - gobelins have a soft spot in my heart. So imagine my excitement when I came upon this artist who shares the same love, but has taken it to a different level of art!

Meet Ulla-Stina Wikander, a Sweden based artist who raids vintage shops and flea markets in search for gobelins that she uses to give old domestic objects a new face.  



"For more then 10 years I have collected cross stitch embroidery and today I have a big collection with over 100 different designs. These embroideries have been made by women and is often seen as kitch and regarded pretty worthless. I have mixed feelings for them but sometimes they are very beautiful and I want to bring them back to life.
 
In 2012 I started to cover ordinary household items from the 70s, like a vacuum cleaner, sewing machine, electric mixer etc. I find it interesting to see how these objects transforms in a new context; the obsolete, the things we do not want any longer, the old and forgotten things. They become artifacts from a begone era, disguised, camouflaged and dressed. I give them a second life and although I cut the embroideries into pieces, I think they look very beautiful, when they have been ”dressed up".  



Isn't this amazing? I am literally blown away with the masterfully cloaked objects! It is surely not something you see every day. Check out Ulla's instagram if you want to explore more of her work.

6 comments:

Nova55 said...

I've never seen anything like this before - and it's so beautiful! Thank you so much for sharing!

cristina said...

I have mixed feelings about this. I am a gobelin sewer, but I use them on my walls. The fact that this lady bring the works back to another kind of life is meritorious.

Maya Kuzman said...

Me too Nova! I wouldn't be able to do anything similar :)

Maya Kuzman said...

My mom has a wall adorned with several of her favourite gobelins, and her heart broke when she saw these. Me? I was amazed. I also found a lady who makes skirts and coats using gobelins. They are so tastefully done I am actually contemplating making something similar.

R's Rue said...

Tres belle.

handmade by amalia said...

This is fantastic work. I adore makes that come with a sense of humor.
Amalia
xo