What is Yarn Bombing 18th Street?
If you were at the June 18, 2011 Artnight at 18th St., you would have been greeted by a giant tree wearing a colorful sweater on Olympic, and noticed all the poles on 18th St. wrapped in a rainbow of knit and crocheted creations. There was a convertible car covered in granny squares, another wearing a grass-like cozy. Outside the gallery laid a crocheted koi pond, two latch and hook tanks throwing brightly colored yarn bombs at each other and crocheted sparrows fighting over French fries under a bench. Not to mention all kinds of knit and crocheted creations hanging from the trees including flowers, water drops, angry birds, hummingbirds, ravens, stars, organs. Then there was the knit ninja peeking out of the bushes with a peace sign, a knit public book exchange booth, a spinning wheel made of bicycle parts, an unraveling performance in the back alley, and much more...
What started out as a reaction against the drab urban environment, yarn bombing has recently grown into an international phenomenon. Almost 70 local and international artists participated in a massive yarn bombing event organized by Arzu Arda Kosar, an artist in residence at the 18th Street Arts Center, and Heather Hoggan, co-president of the Arroyo Arts Collective, opened at the 18th Street Arts Center on June 18, 2011. Yarn Bombing 18th juxtaposed “serious” artists and novice crafters, high-brow and low-art and embraced a diverse group of artists from all walks of life, age groups and genders, widening the contemporary description of “street art” beyond "the back streets of New York circa 1980s” stereotype.
Displayed concurrently with Debating Through the Arts by Jerri Allyn & Inez S. Bush, it was presented in relation to important figures of feminist art, a movement that questioned established art practices on material, technical, and conceptual levels. Most importantly, the process of putting together Yarn Bombing 18th brought together a highly-diverse creative community who now call themselves Yarn Bombing Los Angeles (YBLA) and instigated various collaborations, resulting in numerous interrelated projects.
What started out as a reaction against the drab urban environment, yarn bombing has recently grown into an international phenomenon. Almost 70 local and international artists participated in a massive yarn bombing event organized by Arzu Arda Kosar, an artist in residence at the 18th Street Arts Center, and Heather Hoggan, co-president of the Arroyo Arts Collective, opened at the 18th Street Arts Center on June 18, 2011. Yarn Bombing 18th juxtaposed “serious” artists and novice crafters, high-brow and low-art and embraced a diverse group of artists from all walks of life, age groups and genders, widening the contemporary description of “street art” beyond "the back streets of New York circa 1980s” stereotype.
Displayed concurrently with Debating Through the Arts by Jerri Allyn & Inez S. Bush, it was presented in relation to important figures of feminist art, a movement that questioned established art practices on material, technical, and conceptual levels. Most importantly, the process of putting together Yarn Bombing 18th brought together a highly-diverse creative community who now call themselves Yarn Bombing Los Angeles (YBLA) and instigated various collaborations, resulting in numerous interrelated projects.
What is yarn bombing?
Yarn bombing is a relatively recent form of street art that employs colorful displays of knits or crochet and other fiber material instead of paint in public space.
Some engage in yarn bombing as a fun and creative way to use up left over yarn, others consider it an urban intervention to personalize otherwise cold and impersonal spaces or to make socio- political statements. Humor is often a major component of yarn bombing, which by its nature embodies contradictory idiosyncrasies within itself.
In its seemingly odd juxtaposition of knitting and graffiti, often associated with opposing concepts such as female, granny, indoors, domestic, wholesome and soft vs. male, enfant terrible, outdoors, public, underground and edgy, the practice of yarn bombing redefines both genres. Yarn bombing transforms knitting from a domestic endeavor to public art, recontextualizing both knitting and graffiti, both of which are marginalized creative endeavors that fall outside “high art.”
Like all public art, be it sanctioned commissions or self-initiated, unauthorized formats, yarn bombing imposes a particular aesthetic onto an environment that may be appreciated by some, but may not appeal to everyone. Yet, yarn bombing is necessarily ephemeral due to its use of materials and perhaps the most environmentally friendly graffiti because it can easily be removed with a pair of scissors and no damage left behind.
Some engage in yarn bombing as a fun and creative way to use up left over yarn, others consider it an urban intervention to personalize otherwise cold and impersonal spaces or to make socio- political statements. Humor is often a major component of yarn bombing, which by its nature embodies contradictory idiosyncrasies within itself.
In its seemingly odd juxtaposition of knitting and graffiti, often associated with opposing concepts such as female, granny, indoors, domestic, wholesome and soft vs. male, enfant terrible, outdoors, public, underground and edgy, the practice of yarn bombing redefines both genres. Yarn bombing transforms knitting from a domestic endeavor to public art, recontextualizing both knitting and graffiti, both of which are marginalized creative endeavors that fall outside “high art.”
Like all public art, be it sanctioned commissions or self-initiated, unauthorized formats, yarn bombing imposes a particular aesthetic onto an environment that may be appreciated by some, but may not appeal to everyone. Yet, yarn bombing is necessarily ephemeral due to its use of materials and perhaps the most environmentally friendly graffiti because it can easily be removed with a pair of scissors and no damage left behind.
How can I join the yarn bombers of Los Angeles?
Come to one of YBLA monthly stitch 'n bitch meetings on every third Saturday of the month, 2-5pm at the Craft and Folk Art Museum at 5814 Wilshire Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90036.
Also check the YBLA calendar for upcoming events to attend or to sign up for, or better yet organize an event for all to participate in.
What if I can't knit or crochet?
While you can probably learn to knit or crochet during YBLA meetings, some yarn bombers don't actually knit or crochet at all but use alternative techniques such as rug hooking, collage together recycled sweaters or repurpose other found materials .
Also check the YBLA calendar for upcoming events to attend or to sign up for, or better yet organize an event for all to participate in.
What if I can't knit or crochet?
While you can probably learn to knit or crochet during YBLA meetings, some yarn bombers don't actually knit or crochet at all but use alternative techniques such as rug hooking, collage together recycled sweaters or repurpose other found materials .
What happens in stitch 'n bitch meetings?
They are occasions to gather, work together, exchange ideas, tips, materials, learn new techniques, see old friends, meet new people, come up with new projects and collaborations etc.
While most participants bring along a project to work on, some people just show up to network and be inspired. Stitch 'n bitch meetings are not designed as teaching workshops. But at least one participant learned how to crochet from the artist sitting next to them during one of our meetings and went on to crochet an elaborate interactive piece.
A snapshot of the stitch n bitch meetings that led to Yarn Bombing 18th can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwueVd0ljlw. For more information feel free to contact [email protected] or visit our facebook group Yarn Bombing Los Angeles.
While most participants bring along a project to work on, some people just show up to network and be inspired. Stitch 'n bitch meetings are not designed as teaching workshops. But at least one participant learned how to crochet from the artist sitting next to them during one of our meetings and went on to crochet an elaborate interactive piece.
A snapshot of the stitch n bitch meetings that led to Yarn Bombing 18th can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwueVd0ljlw. For more information feel free to contact [email protected] or visit our facebook group Yarn Bombing Los Angeles.