Home-Made Europe: Contemporary Folk Artifacts

ForthisenchantingsequeltothecriticallyacclaimedHome-Made:ContemporaryRussianFolkArtifacts(2006),RussianartistVladimirArkhipovhastravelledacrossEuropetofurtherhiscollection.Theobjectshehasfoundaremadebyeverydaypeopleinspiredtocreatesomethingthemselves,ratherthanbuyingmanufacturedgoods.Manyhavebeenmadeinpursuitofahobby,orbecausethemakerhadthetimeandinclinationtoconstructsomethingpersonal.Inothercases,theobjectsaremorevitaltothemaker'slivelihood.Arkhipov'sarchiveincludeshundredsofobjectscreatedwithidiosyncraticfunctionalqualities:anAustrianski-bobmadeusinganoldbicycleframe;ametalstripfullofspikesusedtodeterpigeonsfromlandingonwindowledges;abeautifullypaintedrocking-motorbikeforchildren;andadevicefromGermanythatenablesamusiciantoplaythreebrasstubasatonce.Thisvolumefeatures230individualartifactsfromAlbania,Austria,CzechRepublic,England,France,Germany,Ireland,Italy,Russia,Spain,Switzerland,UkraineandWales,eachofwhichisaccompaniedbyaphotographofthecreator,theirstoryofhowtheobjectcameabout,itsfunctionandthematerialsusedtocreateit.WithaforewordbyTurnerPrize-winningartistJeremyDeller,Home-MadeEuropeisanessentialcompaniontothefirstvolume,expandingitsthemewithmorerecentobjectsthatsuggestthatthecharmofthehome-madeutilitarianobjecttranscendseventhedictatesofnecessity.