MARTA VEINBERGA visual artist

OIKIA  [yˈki.a]
prize stickers, pencil, acrylic, different varnishes on plywood
8 pieces, each 25 x 25 cm
2019

OIKIA [yˈki.a], in Ancient Greek meaning ‘house’ or ‘home’,  draws a phonetic parallel to the title of the well know furniture and household accessories producer and retailer IKEA. The work pictures eight of the IKEA’s best-sellers (a mirror, side table, shelf unit, step stool, folding chair, table, crib and sofa), which are, however, reduced almost to their shapes - left without the scale or contextual environment, specific colour or too much detail. Regardless of that a spectator recognizes these wide-spread objects immediately.

The objects are placed on a monotonous, carpet-like background glued from an advertising material - prize stickers with sheep drawing, making a cosy context for the furniture and pointing at the serial character of the mass production.

OIKIA invites to contemplate on the uniting elements in the Western culture, such as spoken and visual languages.