Tuesday, January 26, 2010

When do we stop?

First up - CNN! Been meaning to post this for ages, but here it is. Go stiX and the heart fence!

now the thoughtful bit-

Of late i've struggled with whether or not to continue with knit graffiti.

My concept of what knit graffiti is, and why I do it, is pretty strong. I want to challenge, inspire, and do the unexpected. Not only have I not felt that i've been achieving this of late, but the amount of 'knit graffiti' has jumped dramatically.

So I had a conversation with my mother (as you do) about why and how and if. We considered the definition of what I call 'knit graffiti' with 'knit tags'. There are the pieces that are put up because they look pretty, and those that are saying something. The knitted squares that go on trees because it is 'fun', and the carefully considered statement pieces put up to prove that craft can be art.

On the third hand, there are the 'installations' - crafted tags attached with the blessing of an authority, be it in public or in a gallery.

Personally I want to progress OutdoorKnit to keep saying stuff, but say it differently, to continue to find new and different ways to stand up for craft and feminism and thought-provoking public art. Having decided this, I was happy to continue, albeit quietly for the time being.

This week friend in Ireland sent me the link to the video below. I watched it, rolled my eyes and went back to those original thoughts. You can't get more mass media than Vodafone, really.


What's the point if it is mainstream and no longer seen as subversive? And then I thought of Banksy, and even the Wellington graffiti crew who continue to inspire despite the fact graffiti is seen more and more as 'mainstream'. They keep going, so, dammit, will I. But my work will be more considered and carefully crafted. And i'm going to keep saying stuff.

Who's with me?


4 comments:

connie said...

I am with you - and I am a granny who knits (just watched a video clip where you mentioned grannies who knit). I have completed my first knit art graffiti, believe it or not - see http://www.connielene.com/2010/01/warming-the-frozen-balls-of-haarlem/

Hope you enjoy it - and keep going girl

jafabrit said...

OUr knit graffiti is evolving to include textile/crafitivism work. We seem to be going towards text on felt incorporated into the knit graffiti or embellishing it.

to be honest though I didn't regard knit graffiti as subversive, I saw it as an extension/variation of what I did already (street art). As with all my art though it moves on,evolves and I don't see me doing the same thing year in and year out :)

thoughtful post, enjoyed thinking about what you said.

styler said...

so many people have no idea about why you craft knit graffiti or why.
so now is even a better time to continue but also to explain.

me i like the cheering things up side of it :D

Rayna said...

Better late than never to comment on this post..

Sometimes I go through those phases. I think it's really important to have outdoor crafters who really think about the outdoor craft they do, where they do it, why they do it, what the function of the finished work is.

Otherwise it's all just pretty. Which is pretty, but not terribly interesting.

xox