Elin Wikström - RETAiliATOR

Elin Wikström creates ‘activated situations’ in her practice. These involve projects, sited within the public domain, that question the habits, behaviour and opinions of individuals and society in general. Her projects cause a disruption in the everyday flow of events that force us to reassess our understanding of accepted codes of behaviour, value systems and social conditioning.

Wikström’s projects often centre around a form of transaction or exchange. For example, a recent project (made for the exhibition Money at the Kulterhuset in Stockholm) looked at the symbolic significance of money as a means of exchange, value and control. What Does the Figure Say involved the artist counting one hundred kronor notes throughout the 43 days of the exhibition. This action could be observed by visitors to the gallery on a monitor, while it was also possible to follow the count on a website. The artist stopped counting at 10,294,000. However, it was unclear as to whether Wikström had been counting the same block of bills over and over again, or if she had actually amassed that amount of money during the project. Through the suggestion of a sleight of hand, the project questioned our belief that economics is an exact science or natural law. Wikström demonstrated that the trust that we put in numbers, counting and accountancy is absurd, as figures reveal nothing about the value of people, objects and events.

Wilkström has recently made projects for DCA, Dundee, and Moderna Museet Stockholm. Her project for The Showroom will be her first solo show in London. Elin Wikström lives in Gothenburg and is currently guest professor to the College of Fine Art, Umeå University, Sweden. Pressetext

Elin Wikström - RETAiliATOR