Ulla-Stina Wikander

Ulla-Stina Wikander was born 1957 in Kungälv. She is currently living in Stockholm/Kullavik, Sweden and has been working as an artist since 1986. 

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 transform 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”. 
I visit flea markets and vintage stores to find cross stitch embroidery and the objects I want to work with. Some of the small objects, like an iron or a phone take me a day or two to make, but the bigger installations takes weeks to finish.

Please email sara@paradigm-gallery.com if you wish to be added to Ulla-Stina Wikander's digital collector preview list for her upcoming projects and exhibitions at Paradigm Gallery.