WIEBKE PANDIKOW
Precious? / Finland
Without the ubiquitous plastic our civilization could hardly have become what it is today, but at the same time it is a burden on the environment with far-reaching consequences. Especially plastic bags are an obvious symbol for mindless consumerism and a throw-away society. This makes them so interesting for me to work with, to create from them textures and structures that recall forms of a natural world which we have set ourselves apart from.
In our culture, plastics are commonplace, invaluable yet insignificant. For me they bear the possibility of beauty.
It took millennia for oil to form from dead organic material. It takes energy and time to make a plastic bag. And often, mere minutes to discard it.
The life which became the oil, some of which became the bag, is still in there somewhere.
I find it, bring it out, display it. To show there is more here than you thought there was.

Work
Kaurapaahto
Brooch, 2020
recycled plastic bags, Finnish kaurapaahto (oat toast) bread bag, wood, needle and catch from stainless steel
Experience
EDUCATION
2013 Lahti University of Applied Sciences, Institute of Design and Fine Art, BA of Culture and Arts, Jewelry Design
2011/12 Toyama University, Faculty of Art and Design, Takaoka, Japan, student exchange
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2020: By the Sea, Taidekeskus ITÄ, Lappeenranta, FI
2019: Precious Plastic, GaoShan, Helsinki, FI
2018: By the Sea, Kalleria, Helsinki, FI
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2021: Contemprorary Jewelry from Finland, Design Shanghai, Shanghai, CN
2020: The Contemporary Metal Art Biennial METALLOphone 5: Museum, Lithuanian National Museum, Vilnius, LT
2019: Northern Lights, CODA Museum, Apeldoorn, NL
2018: European Prize for Applied Arts, Art Museum Mons, BE
GRANTS
2020: 12month working grant Finnish Cultural Foundation
2019: 6 month working grant, TAIKE Arts Promotion Centre Finland
WORKS IN COLLECTIONS
The Collection of the Finnish State Art Commission
The Collection of the Finnish Jewelry Art Association
The Craft Museum of Finland, FI
Text & pictures provided by the artist
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