The IKEA Project is a conceptual self portrait born of translation. 

Without knowing how it is to be used, students begin by picking a piece of IKEA furniture that speaks to their personal aesthetic, taste or desire. They are to then translate the parallel projection drawings included with the assembly instructions into 2pt. perspective drawings.

Next, they are to spend time thinking about what goes on and around the furniture and in what context this furniture will be found in. Will it be in a room? What room will it be in? Working in the sketchbook students answer these questions by coming up with some initial drawings of these objects as a sort of visual brainstorming. 

Students are then prompted to create a drawing contextualizing their chosen furniture with additional items representing their interests, background, family heritage, some political issue they’re interested in, objects they actually own etc. 

The goal is to be creative, consistent and cohesive and for all formal elements to make “sense” within the overall constructed pictorial logic and narrative essence.