Irina Lindqvist
currently
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Liljevalchs Vårsalong 25 14 FEB -27 APR
To the very Edge/Ändå till kanten, broderi, 156x63cm
My country, Ukraine, now stands at the very edge of no return. Two and a half years of a bloody, unjust war, with a knot of insoluble contradictions, have led to a situation where Ukraine could be forced into a "peace" that might make the division of the country inevitable. A country that has endured various difficult times is once again changing beyond recognition. Coexisting with an empire - albeit not of the same scale, but with similar ambitions—has proven to be impossible for now. Over the course of the last year, I fell into the process of embroidering which became my prayer for the survival of my homeland. I recalled an old
tradition found in traditional Ukrainian embroidery: the tree of life, a symbol of eternal life. The remaining motifs are taken from ancient Ukrainian embroideries on towels and tablecloths, featuring images such as George slaying the dragon, a double-headed eagle with symbols of power, angels, and birds. My remembrance of the many cities in Ukraine by their original names and the years they were founded - cities whose fates are
now very different.
“and there will be no enemy,
no rival on the renewed land,
there will be son and
will be mother, and there will be people on the land."
/Taras Shevchenko
As the vision for Ukraine, expressed for by the national poet of Ukraine, Taras Shevchenko, written 200 years ago and quoted in the work.
about
Through a researched-based approach, my work traces the intersections of history,
material culture, science, and politics through a wide range of mediums including
photography, sculpture, graphic and jewellery.
I spent a lot of time on design and production work as well as different types of metal
as well as silver and gold jewelry, which I like to mix with paper, plastic, and wood
etc. in jewelry and also in larger exhibition objects.
Human behavior is a constantly interesting subject to observe, understand, and
interpret. Reflection on our perception of the environment and interactions between
them and how it changes from one day to another. My photographs involve
observations of daily life and some of my personal stories. I see this work as an
ongoing investigation of various social systems, traditions and dogmas, exploration of
the codes and assumptions we make when examining the world visually.
A series of sculptures from my daily practice are memorising my experiences, events
and recent news using a range of materials and techniques, such as wood, plaster,
metals and found objects.
The individual sculptures can be put together in an infinite number of ways, like a
message. Some of the objects are clear in their messaging, others take on a life story
on their own, while yet others need clarification. Some are autonomous, others find
their best place in relation to other objects.
Some of the works are painted in black and red, which does not always refer to ‘fire
and destruction’, but still conveys the meaning of blood and darkness so closely
observed now in my home country Ukraine.
Born in Kharkiv, Ukraine, graduated from Tallinn Art Academy, Estonia, lives and
works in Stockholm.
