Vladimir Arkhipov: Homemade objects

Vladimir Arkhipov (1961) is a Ryazan born artist, who currently lives in Moscow. From the 1990's Arkhipov has collected and archived self or home made functioning objects from everyday people across Europe, while also creating some objects of his own.[1] These home-made objects are often constructed from plentiful objects, inspired by the collapse of the Soviet Union or home-made preference or a response to difficult circumstances, which have been transformed into essential yet scarce manufactured ones. [2] In this way they can then be regarded as "products of need" created with a sense of innovation and immediacy. [3] The combination of objects, often tied to the idea of the readymade, results in alternative objects that are innovative and idiosyncratic but are weighted on necessity and functionality rather than artefacts which question authorship and art itself. These home-made utilitarian objects then "reveal not only the routine of daily life and culture, but a real feel for design and an upholding of the traditional importance of craftsmanship, and a desire for beautiful, functional things." [5]

Within in my own project "a lack of access to manufactured goods" isn't a concern in 2021 New Zealand in reference to New Zealand. Rather, access to relevant and specific medical equipment supplied by government bodies is. The medical objects have become manufactured goods through their generic nature and their sale in department stores such as Kmart. The plethora of manufactured goods within the domestic setting (interior and exterior), gives way to immediate innovation via their combination. In this way, my constructions hold relevance to the creators features in Arkhipov's collection (including himself) - as we make alternative objects, from existing ones, for a new purpose that haven't been fulfilled by existing objects, or due to scarcity or access issues. Additionally, I'm more interested in the functionality and

Arkhipov's squired objects are presented to the public via exhibitions Museum of the Handmade Object / Post-Folk Archive.

Additionally, books Home-Made: Contemporary Russian Folk Artifacts (2006) and Home-Made Europe: Contemporary Folk Artifacts (2012) are then archival documents of a collection of innovative objects born out of necessity. [6] Arkhipov collection celebrates common designers, artisans and inventors Home-Made, and individuality triumphing over the mainstream, disposable culture of today.[7] Arkhipov features the creators of each objects in his books via a small portrait and an explanation of how and why they chose the methodology of hand-made over shop-bought.[8] Whether generated by thrift, need, creative impulse, sheer will, inventor’s fancy or aesthetic beauty. [9]

An example of a page layout from Vladimir Arkhipov's Home-Made: Contemporary Russian Folk Artifacts (2006).

image source:

[1] Nina Due Gallery, "Vladimir Arkhipov," 2015, http://www.ninadue.com/vladimir-arkhipov/

[2] Fuel Design, "Home-Made: Contemporary RussianFolk Artifacts," http://fuel-design.com/publishing/home-made/

[3] Fuel Design, "Home-Made: Contemporary RussianFolk Artifacts," http://fuel-design.com/publishing/home-made/

[4] Ibid.

[5] Eugenia Bell, Frieze, "Home-Made: Contemporary Russian Folk Artifacts," 2006, https://www.frieze.com/article/home-

made-contemporary-russian-folk-artifacts

[7] Eugenia Bell, Frieze, "Home-Made: Contemporary Russian Folk Artifacts," 2006, https://www.frieze.com/article/home-made-contemporary-russian-folk-artifacts

[8] Ibid.