Lego, which we grew up with, represents the dreams and fantasies of a child; Ikea furniture, which has become so ubiquitous, represents the dreams and fantasies of an adult. By meshing these two objects together we can think about the gap between our fantastic dreams and our banal longings. 

Exhibition Dates: 31 July – 30 August 2014

“Our exhibition, Venereal Architecture, is about the spaces we inhabit. As humans we are forever adapting and manipulating our environment to cope with the elements and creatures that share our spaces. We build structures that enclose and protect us from nature. Air conditioning controls the temperature and we domesticate animals so they can live with us. Our control over nature (or lack there of) is central to this body of work.

Lego and Ikea furniture are very similar in a sense: they are both objects of aspiration that require assembly. Lego, which we grew up with, represents the dreams and fantasies of a child; Ikea furniture, which has become so ubiquitous, represents the dreams and fantasies of an adult. By meshing these two objects together we can think about the gap between our fantastic dreams and our banal longings. Both products represent destruction and re-construction, which are concerns we revisit continually within our practice.

The wall works act as a counterpoint to a possible reading of the sculptural works as a simple man/nature dichotomy. The works represent our sublimated animal urges expressed through shopping. The Lego wall works are based on found screen shots from pornos that utilise Ikea furniture within their set design. The ubiquity and relative economy of Ikea furniture means that it was inevitable that the furniture should share the screen with actors in low budget skin flicks.

We believe that the combination of Ikea and sex is palpable. Visiting an Ikea showroom is a serious group-nesting experience: like giant bower birds, we carry around our blue object bag in the vague hope of getting laid if we curate the right combination of objects into our love-nests. The consumer experience must be the result of some natural urge gone slightly wrong”.

Claire Healy and Sean Cordeiro, 2014

 Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery is delighted to present its first exhibition with Claire Healy and Sean Cordeiro. Healy and Cordeiro have been collaborating as artists for over a decade, in which time they have been awarded numerous international studio residencies, scholarships and travel grants. The nomadic lifestyle the artists lead has become the foundation of their work, both conceptually and in terms of the materials they use. Travel, packing and unpacking, accumulation, storage and freight have been a critical part of their lives and these experiences continually inform their practice as artists.



Claire Healy and Sean Cordeiro’s installation Life Span was part of the Australian representation at the 53rd Venice Biennale in 2009. In 2012 the Museum of Contemporary Art held a major survey show, which toured to the University of Queensland Art Museum. Other recent solo exhibitions include Are we there Yet? at the Corcoran Gallery, Washington DC (2011), PREMS at La bf15, Lyon (2009), The Paper Trail at the Art Gallery of New South Wales (2007), flatpack at Künstlerhaus Bethanien, Berlin (2006) and The Cordial Home Project, Artspace Sydney (2003). Healy and Cordeiro’s work has been included in numerous group exhibitions in Australia, Belgium, China, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, Switzerland, Turkey, Taiwan the United Kingdom and the United States. Their works are held in several important public collections including The Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington DC, The Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney The Art Gallery of New South Wales, Newcastle Regional Art Gallery, The Art Gallery of South Australia and The University of Queensland Art Museum.

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Claire Healy and Sean Cordeiro Fejka, 2014; Lego; 43.5 x 81 cm; enquire
Fejka, 2014
Lego
43.5 x 81 cm
Claire Healy and Sean Cordeiro Rampen, 2014; Lego; 82.5 x 82.5 cm; enquire
Rampen, 2014
Lego
82.5 x 82.5 cm
Claire Healy and Sean Cordeiro Alslev, 2014; Lego; 77 x 77 x 7.5 cm; enquire
Alslev, 2014
Lego
77 x 77 x 7.5 cm
Claire Healy and Sean Cordeiro Smorboll, 2014; Lego; 79 x 60.5 cm; enquire
Smorboll, 2014
Lego
79 x 60.5 cm
Claire Healy and Sean Cordeiro Vinager, 2014; Lego; 106.5 x 53 x 7.5 cm; enquire
Vinager, 2014
Lego
106.5 x 53 x 7.5 cm
Claire Healy and Sean Cordeiro Downstairs Entertainment  Area – Manta Ray, 2014; Lego, Ikea bathroom shelves, light and terrarium; 112 x 220 x 175 cm; enquire
Downstairs Entertainment Area – Manta Ray, 2014
Lego, Ikea bathroom shelves, light and terrarium
112 x 220 x 175 cm
Claire Healy and Sean Cordeiro Upstairs Living Room – Tortoise, 2014; Lego, Ikea coffee table and plant; 75 x 109 x 62 cm; enquire
Upstairs Living Room – Tortoise, 2014
Lego, Ikea coffee table and plant
75 x 109 x 62 cm
Claire Healy and Sean Cordeiro Upstairs Study – Penguin, 2014; Lego, Ikea chair and plant; 80 x 67 x 62 cm; enquire
Upstairs Study – Penguin, 2014
Lego, Ikea chair and plant
80 x 67 x 62 cm
Claire Healy and Sean Cordeiro Kitchen / Pantry – Seal, 2014; Lego, Ikea foot stool and plant; 103 x 110 x 60 cm; enquire
Kitchen / Pantry – Seal, 2014
Lego, Ikea foot stool and plant
103 x 110 x 60 cm
Claire Healy and Sean Cordeiro Bedroom 3, Baby's Room – Lion, 2014; Lego, Ikea changing table, change mat and plants; 183 x 70 x 125 cm; enquire
Bedroom 3, Baby's Room – Lion, 2014
Lego, Ikea changing table, change mat and plants
183 x 70 x 125 cm
Claire Healy and Sean Cordeiro Downstairs Dining Room - Octopus, 2014; Lego, Ikea chair and plant with hanger; 75 x 98 x 79 cm; enquire
Downstairs Dining Room - Octopus, 2014
Lego, Ikea chair and plant with hanger
75 x 98 x 79 cm
Claire Healy and Sean Cordeiro Garage / Tool Shed - Doe, 2014; Lego, Ikea trestle with shelf and plant; 130 x 150 x 70 cm; enquire
Garage / Tool Shed - Doe, 2014
Lego, Ikea trestle with shelf and plant
130 x 150 x 70 cm
Claire Healy and Sean Cordeiro Breakfast Bar / Kitchen – Chimpanzee, 2011; Lego, Ikea bar stool, plant; 140 x 65 x 58 cm; enquire
Breakfast Bar / Kitchen – Chimpanzee, 2011
Lego, Ikea bar stool, plant
140 x 65 x 58 cm
Claire Healy and Sean Cordeiro Kitchenette – Dolphin, 2014; Lego, Ikea shelf and plan; 65 x 106 x 42 cm; enquire
Kitchenette – Dolphin, 2014
Lego, Ikea shelf and plan
65 x 106 x 42 cm
Claire Healy and Sean Cordeiro Hallway / Rear Entrance – Snake, 2014; Lego, Ikea shelf with drawers and plant; 115 x 147 x 30 cm; enquire
Hallway / Rear Entrance – Snake, 2014
Lego, Ikea shelf with drawers and plant
115 x 147 x 30 cm