Kurragömma
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Kurragömma (Hide and Seek) explores the tension between security and vulnerability, between the familiar and the unfamiliar. The soft teddies, once symbols of comfort and protection, have been contorted beyond recognition. The teddy becomes a symbol of the lost closeness to a parent, a figure that exists in the borderland between presence and absence. When the relationship with a parent is damaged, an object can become an extension of the missing closeness and a comfort.
In this borderland, a contradictory feeling arises, a longing for what was once safe, but also a fear that it was never really there. The deformed teddies bear traces of care and brutality at the same time; they are loved but also exposed, worn down by a tenderness that borders on desperation. Through this transformation, children’s ways of dealing with loss, loneliness, and the need for connection are highlighted.
Sofia Sandqvist Marjanen’s (b. 1997) artistic work explores how early experiences shape us as adults. Through her practice, she examines the complex relationship between past and present, depicting childhood memories, traumatic experiences, and dysfunctional family bonds. Her work delves into how these formative events continue to shape identity, relationships, and emotional patterns long into adulthood. By making the invisible visible, Sandqvist Marjanen highlights the silent imprints we carry, repressed emotions, unspoken narratives, and recurring behaviors. By bringing the suppressed to light, she creates a space for reflection and potential liberation, inviting the viewer into a dialogue with the past and with themselves.