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.