If The Cops Don’t Getcha, The Yarn Bombs Will

New York! You’d better have a plan, know where you’re going and how to get there and not fall by the way-side, or else things may happen to you. Strange things. Colorful things. Woolly things.

Meet the “Yarn Bomb.” (link h/t: Strange)

Oh noes, looks like this one’s coming down with a case of the crochet too!

These bits of incendiary yarnwork were quietly parked in the Financial District, where I discovered them last week, during such thoroughly moist weather that they seemed as much fungal growth as art piece.

They turn out to be the creation of a Polish fiber artist calling herself simply, “Olek,” whose works around town include putting the Wall Street Bull sculpture into a crocheted cozy (Yes, crocheted,despite inspiring a few “Knitting Bull” EZ feature titles). Olek’s works don’t stop at throwing her lacy “tags” over the unprotesting inanimate, however: she also does costumes, and caparisons herself and her friends for meeting the public in crochet camo, which disturbingly, but only passingly, reminded me of this.

Update: it seems Olek hates being called a “yarn bomber.” She’s an artist(e). Just anybody who takes a notion to smother street furniture in Red Heart Super Saver acrylic can’t be calling herself (overwhelmingly, this is a female art) an artist(e).

“Yarn Bombing” has been around for a few years now. It’s a street art sometimes referred to as “Grandma Graffiti,” and has caught on around the world, with guerrilla knitters encasing trees, lightpoles, and other helpless stationary objects in miles of adorably ephemeral fiber, which is left to unravel in the elements and remind us of the evanescence of life, art, and those 80’s sweaters we should really give to Goodwill.

It’s just a couple of weeks until the first International Yarn Bombing Day on June 11th, so if you’re thinking of joining the festivities and filling a few potholes with charming 3-ply acrylic protests, you should start cracking, or start your needles clacking, now. Might just be the appropriate avenue of expression you’ve always been seeking to channel your energy, particularly all you bitter knitters out there.

;^} >########

Posted by Mrs. Polly on 05/27/11 at 07:11 AM • Permalink

Categories: I Don't Know Much About Art, But I Know What I Like • Messylaneous • New York City •

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Mrs. Polly—thank you for introducing me to yarn bombing. This is just the coolest. I love those bike tires!

I know what my first project will be. There’s a house near my in-laws that has a birdbath boasting a topless mermaid. It sits on their front lawn. Every time my husband and I pass the house I long to put a bikini top on the thing. Now I’m thinking, why not a sweater? Or a cute little shrug? Perhaps a strategically draped scarf?

Comment by daize on 05/27/11 at 09:00 AM

Oh, do it, daize! At the very least, a tube top? Pictures would be very nice, too~~~~see the email address in the sidebar?

Must remember who has the keys to the RR postbox thing. I hope we don’t have to have a new set made.

Comment by Mrs. Polly on 05/27/11 at 09:11 AM

We had a “yarn event” by local artists downtown in our historical district. They wrapped tree trunks and light poles with crochet pieces. Very colorful and fun, and a great way to boost spirits in this dreary, soggy weather.

Comment by donnah on 05/27/11 at 09:52 AM

donnah, a “yarn event” sounds like a thermonuclear yarn bomb. Or thermalnuclear.

There is some question of whether an officially approved fiberstorm is a “yarnbombing.” God forbid the art of fabricating fuzzy bullwarmers lose its edge!

Olek insists that she doesn’t “yarnbomb,” but to me that’s like someone writing her name in spray paint on a subway car insisting it’s not graffiti, because she shows in galleries, too.

Comment by Mrs. Polly on 05/27/11 at 10:51 AM

I must live under a rock, ‘cause I’d never seen the Wall Street bull yarnbomb before. Loved it; a little pink and purple is just the deflation those overly macho trader types need very fucking second of the day!