Sweater #135

While the top sweater is experiencing culture shock of being exhibited in a gallery in a more formal art setting, the sweater below was placed on a bicycle rack on the corner of two main streets of Spartanburg, SC late last week.  And, since I didn’t want to promote one specific business, I found that this seemed to be a great compromise by placing it in front of a what seemed to be a popular eatery but also a placement promoting alternative transportation options. The pattern used for this sweater is one that is new to me and reminded me of ancient Peruvian textiles. The language of textiles are as universal as one can get in the sense that we all have some connection to a shape of a textile, its use or the images imbedded into them.  I am hopeful that this little sweater spoke to someone out there to pick it up and investigate its meaning.

Sweater #134

Here is another sweater that is part of the Australia collection and explores the whimsical ability of slip stitch color blending.  The dark warm colors might seem a bit severe for the summer temperature in Australia but during the holiday season here in the U.S., it sends a message of warmth and comfort.  The second sweater was placed in Spartanburg, SC late last week during a particularly beautiful warm winter sunny day (or at least warm to those who have experienced sub-zero temps).  The downtown charm of Spartanburg was highlighted by the seasonal decorations adorning the light posts as people meandered across the public square to shop and do business. Adjacent to several public sculptures, it seemed like an ideal placement for a sweater to hide until found.

Sweater #127

While this has been mentioned previously, one of the best parts of this project is the ability to experiment with different knitted patterns.  This 9th sweater exhibited in Cairns, AU is a small cable stitch that I played with to produce alternating rows which create a point as they alternate.  I guess only knitting geeks would get into this part of the project, but it is fun to have a reason to play.  The second sweater was knitted by Terri’s friend Lauren from Milwaukee and then placed by Terri at this ATM machine.  The obvious message seems to come across and reminds me of a college experience when I was walking with my room mate and she found a $20 bill on the sidewalk.  I remember being so jealous as I was on a shoestring budget to say the least, often walking 2 miles to school, going without meals and many supplies for studio courses.  My room mate on the other hand ate lunch out every day, had all of the best supplies, and never had to worry about money. The ATM always seems like a magical device that dispenses money upon demand.  True, you have to have the money in the first place, but for many who struggle financially, I am sure the magic of the ability to access any kind of money whether through an ATM or otherwise  is still a very real dilemma.

Sweaters #103, 104, 105, 106, 107 and 108 And Gallery UP

Three of these six sweaters were actually given to a person directly upon her inquiry into what I was knitting as I often have a knitting bag attached to me at all times just in case I get a few seconds to be productive.  So, in peculiar places like doctor’s offices, bookstores, soccer games and such, I am able to promote the project, interact with people about the issue and offer something tangible in return.  In this case, the woman offered to pay me directly for the sweaters as she was correlating my work to a viable product (yeah! doesn’t happen much to us artists).  Instead, I reminded her to make a donation to the National Coalition for the Homeless.  The other three sweaters are in Rock Hill, SC and will be a part of a graffiti knitting event Nov. 11-13  in conjunction with Gallery UP, so if you are in Rock Hill, look out for a miniature sweater!

Sweater #75

Also from Terri, is sweater #75.  Challenged by the addition of little mittens that accompanied an earlier sweater, Terri added her own touch with a beaded scarf.  Placed in the local Borders bookstore where her weekly knitting circle meets, Terri was drawn to a particular location near the front door in front of a book titled “The Unnamed”.  As Terri puts it, “It just seemed to be calling out to me. When I read the synopsis on the back cover, it sealed the deal. It says: “…The Unnamed is the unforgettable novel of a life taken for granted…” So there you have it.”

Sweater #48

The next couple of sweaters were placed in Minneapolis, MN as the sweater maker went on a road trip to attend a special occasion with friends.  This guy was placed in Lake Normandale Park at the public band shelter where an outdoor worship service was taking place.  As the sweater was being placed on the table, a shofar was being blown out onto the lily pad covered lagoon just to the right of this photo.  These moments of happenstance are one of the best things about this project as I could never have coordinated, planned or schemed for all of these events to occur to provide the best setting for placement. It offers such a unique temporal aspect to the work!

Sweater #47

In honor of our country’s birthday, this sweater, knitted in a red, white, and blue pattern was placed along the parade venue of Leeland, MI.  The 4th of July festivities in the Midwest definitely outshine other parts of the country complete with parades, festivals, fireworks, and celebrations.  The town was decked out in red, white and blue and the parade was led by the veterans who have served this country proudly along with all the service men of the community.  I am hoping that homelessness is not one of the dilemmas facing this portion of the country, but it is probably safe to say that is indeed not the case.

Sweater #45

Located at the pinky portion of Michigan, Sleeping Bear Dunes became the placement site for sweater #45.  It is interesting to juxtapose the concept of vacationing leisure and an object that reminds the finder of the burdens of everyday life.  The trail map container was empty as many didn’t need a map to see where the obvious direction of travel seemed to be, so it became the temporary home for this sweater.

Sweater #31

This sweater was placed only a few blocks from my home and clearly says it all about the state of our economy, abundance of abandoned buildings and the number of displaced formerly housed people.  Where do people go when buildings are boarded up? Are they couch surfing, doubling up with other families, living in vehicles or just roaming the streets? And then of course, what happens to the building?  The bank owned property is clearly serving no purpose and is an economic drain to investors and the general public.  In addition, this building exemplifies how large an impact this crisis is making as it is located in a fairly economically stable community.

Sweater #25

Imbedded into the mesh of the tennis courts at Harlem and Roosevelt, this sweater remained at this spot for only a couple of hours prior to being collected.  Originally, the ideal location for this sweater was a public restroom at this park.  However, policemen were prowling the premise and securing public buildings, all of which I attempted to enter first and then realized a different placement for this object was going to have to suffice in order to avoid suspicious behavior.