MARIKA HOLM
Visual artist
Pink and blue moments 15x45 cm 2023, acrylic and oil on canvas
Artist Statement
My work investigates the symbolism of Oriental carpets as metaphors for ideals of perfection in a relationship and in life general.
Historically, these textiles carried a rich, multinational symbolic language, reflecting cultural identity and continuity. Their motifs and patterns were not merely decorative; they conveyed meaning, origin, and tradition. Over time, much of this original significance has been lost, yet the perception of harmony and refinement persists.
In my paintings, the carpet becomes a visual framework for exploring the tension between perfection and imperfection. While the traditional pattern suggests order and completeness whit some very small human false. I introduce elements that disrupt this harmony whit big broken forms. These interventions mirror for me the contradictions of real life, challenging the notion of an idealized existence.
Authentic carpets are unique in colour and design, often named after their place of origin and produced by generations of artisans. This continuity fascinates me, as does the transformation of these objects from cultural artifacts to symbols of wealth and intellectual prestige in Western interiors. My work reflects on this journey, questioning cultural appropriation and the fragility of meaning when objects migrate across contexts.
Through this dialogue between structure and disruption, I aim to reveal the beauty inherent in imperfection and invite viewers to reconsider what “perfect” truly means.
Appadurai, Arjun (1986) “Introduction: commodities and the politics of value” The social Life of Things. Commodities in a cultural Perspective. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. s. 3–63
Baudrillard, Jean (2005) The system of objects. London: Verso
Levitt, Peggy & Glick Schiller, Nina (2004) “Conceptualizing Simultaneity: A Transnational Social Field Perspective on Society” International Migration Review 38(3). s. 1002–1039
Miller, Daniel (2001) “Behind Closed Doors” Home Possessions: Material Culture Behind Closed Doors. ed. Daniel Miller. Oxford: Berg Publishers. s. 1–19
Pels, Dick; Hetherington, Kevin and Vandenberghe, Frédéric (2002) “The Status of Object: Performances, mediations and techniques” Theory, Culture & Society Rampell Linda (2016) “The shopmodern condition” Art and Theory Publishing
Baudrillard, Jean (2005) The system of objects. London: Verso
Levitt, Peggy & Glick Schiller, Nina (2004) “Conceptualizing Simultaneity: A Transnational Social Field Perspective on Society” International Migration Review 38(3). s. 1002–1039
Miller, Daniel (2001) “Behind Closed Doors” Home Possessions: Material Culture Behind Closed Doors. ed. Daniel Miller. Oxford: Berg Publishers. s. 1–19
Pels, Dick; Hetherington, Kevin and Vandenberghe, Frédéric (2002) “The Status of Object: Performances, mediations and techniques” Theory, Culture & Society Rampell Linda (2016) “The shopmodern condition” Art and Theory Publishing