Materials: velour, cotton, llama fur, hand-sewn beads, earring, polyester batting, haberdashery ribbon
Dimensions: 32 x 35 cm
Signature: artist’s label: Made by Iwona Demko
Provenance
Owned by the artist.
The presented work, titled “Zofia,” was created in 2025 and is part of a series of pillows. A heart-shaped textile object that combines folk aesthetics with an affirmation of female sexuality. The work, richly decorated with hand-sewn bead embroidery (ears of grain), depicts a stylized vagina in the center. The use of traditional floral motifs and the pillow form makes the subject of physicality more approachable, referencing the natural, taboo-free approach to sexuality in folk culture as well as the ancient fertility cult associated with respect for the female body. In an interview, the artist explains: “It is understandable to us that the vagina is associated with fertility. Today, it is reduced solely to its sexual role. (…) In the past, the vagina was treated with respect as a symbol of happiness and health. (…) Exposing the vulva also increased crop yields, made the land more fertile, promoted plant growth, and enhanced soil fertility” (Ilnicka V., On Vaginas and Abstract Shapes—An Interview with Sculptor Iwona Demko, Portal Wywrota, July 4, 2010).
