WHAT IS MISSCHIEFS?
CINDERELLA
Ironing board
45 x 130 x H 85 cm, adjustable
Wood, metal, brass
Limited edition of 3 + 1 AP
Misschiefs is a groundbreaking feminist exhibition of contemporary collectible design that showcases a unique group of ten trailblazing Swedish women designers selected for the punk nature of their work, at the crossing of design, craft and art. In each city Misschiefs visits, a woman gallerist or curator is invited to select one woman artist of her choice to join the show.
All the Misschiefs have been minutely selected for the excellency of their individual mastering of a particular craftsmanship and artistic style, ranging from material techniques such as glass blowing, wood stitching, precious stone setting, textile weaving, interactive technology and more. The designers are aged 25 to 83 years old, some are internationally famous, others established names in the Swedish design world and a few are young upcoming figures. They come from different parts of the country, have various cultural backgrounds and work from studios in distinct locations in Sweden and abroad.
The choice of female designers and collaborators springs from a desire to actively participate in boosting women’s visibility in the arts and design at large. Especially in the field of product design, where women designers are still under-represented in most design companies producing furniture and functional objects, as well as in prestigious design schools, particularly women designers with multi-cultural backgrounds. Part of the sales of the objects and the exhibition catalogue go to an international women's foundation.
All the objects and furniture are handmade only for Misschiefs and sold in a maximum number of three copies each. Punk by nature, our objects stand for freedom of individual expression in a design culture traditionally strict and controlled. The combination of individual mastery of specific craftsmanship, the free reins of the brief and the nature of the design uniqueness and rarity, has enabled the creation of a truly singular collection of Swedish contemporary collectible design.
ANNA KRAITZ + MISSCHIEFS
As a designer, I approach the topic of cleaning through its materiality – the cleaning supplies and objects. The tools/objects/things I work with are everyday and functional artifacts. At the same time, I wantto find a way for them to shine and own their place.
To clean, to iron, to do the laundry, to wash up…. every day, every week.
The time I devote to these things that continuously reoccur in my everyday, and that can affect my mood and be a source of stress, quarrels, inner peace, satisfaction, etc – is huge. That makes me think. What is perceived as clean and unclean, messy and ordered, and how this creates boundaries between people, has long been a central theme of anthropological research. In many cultures the task is designated to others. From men to women. From high status women to low status women.
There are cultures where the task of cleaning is held by specific groups – the untouchables in India, or the Zabbaleen who collect and sort trash in Cairo. Cleaning is embedded in ideas about class, gender, culture, and history. Cleaning also relates to health (allergies, infections), production (where cleaning products are produced and how), ergonomy (how we use them), and environment (components in materials and cleaning products).
Cleaning touches Me, and You.
For Misschiefs I have made an ironing board. Is it a piece of furniture or a tool? A thing that is to be stored away or displayed in the home? Is the ironing board even current today, as the “steamer” is becoming increasingly popular? Do people even iron their clothes anymore?
Cinderella is part of a broader design reflection of mine, consisting of more cleaning related objects, texts and research. Cinderella is a collaboration with Paola Bjäringer and Liv Nilsson Stutz – anthropologist and archaeologist. My project about cleaning is also supported by the Swedish Arts Grants Committee (Svenska konstnärsnämnden).
