Sophi Vejrich creates sculptures and objects that, at a first glance, seem to be related to the feminine universe, mixing symbols of popular and high culture, while also referring to stereotypes and human relations. Her uncanny and thought-provoking juxtaposition of elements – especially the choice for certain clothing items such as the clown costume on a redhead mannequin, or the focus on specific details – an imperfect nail polish on the finger of a doll – invite us to reflect on how we tend to perceive/accept the other based on appearance and social standards.
The Stockholm-based artist builds a fantasy world as refuge and meditation space for the viewer. Her dismembered dolls lack a clear identity outside the gender features. With their eyes closed and textile masks, their silence becomes unsettling and confusing. Are they not allowed to speak since their mouth has been erased? Are they at peace with their condition or deeply sad? Has the nail polish been damaged by a stressful behavior, by carelessness or by an intention to overcome the pressure of beauty ideals? Are their costumes a response to fashion trends? Sometimes, the clothes become the voice of the absent, but one can also sense the artist’s clever use of humor.
The works feel both absurd and dramatic, disturbing and captivating, intelligible and ambiguous, real and unreal. And it is this unexpected clash of meanings and subtle oscillation between multiple, even contradictory, interpretations that make the art of Sophi Vejrich so compelling and novel.