Ulla-Stina Wikander lives and works in Stockholm/Kullavik, Sweden and has been working as an artist since 1986.
Wikander: ‘For more then 10 years I have collected cross stich embroiderys and today I have quite a big collection with over 100 different designs. These embroiderys have mostly been made by women and is seen as kitch and regarded pretty worthless. I think that sometimes they are really beautiful andI want to bring them back to life. In 2012 I started to cover ordinary household things from the 70s, like a sewing machine, vaccum cleaner, electric mixer etc.
I find it interesting to see how these objects transforms in a new context; the obsolet, the things we do not want any longer, the old and forgotten things. I give them a second life and although I cut the embroiderys into pieces, I still think they look very beautiful, when the objects has been ”dressed up”. I visit fleemarkets and vintage stores to find cross stich embroiderys and the objects I want. Some of the small objects like a iron or a telephone take me a day or two to make, but the bigger installations takes weeks to finish. Over the last few years I have had exhibitions for my cross stich objects and installations and they have also been available for purchase.’
