SÖT BARNSLIG 801.763.40

You may think of these objects as IKEA hacks and/or assisted readymades!

Objects like this retail at IKEA for $0.49 USD, and are sold individually in four variants (moose, dog, bear, snake).  The title of this collection accurately corresponds to the article name and number used by IKEA to identify these products in the catalog.  Following my purchase, I painstakingly beaded these readymade objects using (approximately) size 11 seed beads, a beading needle, and all-purpose thread.

No other materials were used.

Click one to read more details, and/or participate!

I recorded my labor at all times, using a basic pen-and-paper clock-in and clock-out method.  Only time spent actively beading was recorded.  The title of each individual object reflects the total number of hours and minutes (#h #m) of labor required to complete the beading process.  I also carefully documented my expenses, including my initial purchases from IKEA, the purchase of beading supplies at diverse retailers, and applicable sales tax.  Using these and other values, it should be possible for me to determine a hourly wage* estimate based on the value of subsequent sales.

*Note:  IKEA manufactured these objects in the country of Vietnam (as specifically indicated on the product tag).  As of January 2014, the minimum legal wage in the country of Vietnam was around $0.29 USD per hour.  At this time, it remains unknown to me whether IKEA pays at or above the Vietnamese minimum wage, or whether anyone below 18 years of age may be employed in textile factories responsible for producing items like this for IKEA within Vietnam.  I would very much like to know.  But an equally salient question is: what is a fair hourly wage for artistic labor in the global economy?