Iconic Swedish furniture and homewares design house IKEA has always been doing its part when it comes to democratising contemporary interior design. In an initiative that goes beyond the clean-lined couches and shelving units we've all owned at some point, IKEA has announced its next Art Event collection to the world.
IKEA's Art Event was established in 2015 with an aim to push accessibility in the world of contemporary design, and save it from being reserved to those who can afford a Mario Bellini Camaleonda. For its 2021 collection, the homewares giant has collaborated with five different artists and studios to bring a range of contemporary statement pieces into the home decor realm. Say goodbye to Cesca and hello to an array of lamps, clocks and wall decorations based on structure, minimalism, and commentary on evolution.
Among the artists are Daniel Arsham, Sabine Marcelis, Stefan Marx, Gelchop and Humans since 1982.
“We choose to work with different artists from around the world to reflect the diversity of art and design coming together,” says Henrik Most, Creative Leader for IKEA Art Event. “We want to show that being an artist or being a designer does not mean that you have to stay in one box, you can work within different fields, and that this new movement has had a profound impact both on the design and art scenes today”.
Arsham’s contribution is a wall clock that appears to be flying through the air with a piece of "fabric attached", folding around the timepiece and flaring to the side to emulate the motion of fabric moving through the wind. Marcelis has crafted a statement LED wall lamp with a slit-like opening at the front to let might through and play with shadows. Gelchop has designed a pair of Allen key-shaped lamps, in an homage to IKEA's build-it-yourself designs and flat-pack furniture. Humans since 1982 has created wall art that sees miniature drones mounted like taxidermied butterflies, presumably a nod to how far technology has come, and the way it intersects with the natural world. Finally, Stefan Marx's contribution takes form in a vase and a throw rug featuring statement black-and-white text and graphics.
IKEA’s 2021 Art Event collection releases at IKEA stores in May.
View this post on Instagram
