graffiti + public art.

Waste Land… Discovering the Wild World of Trash with Vik Muniz and Lucy Walker

| Betsy

I am constantly amazed by the possibilities of trash. How can we use it to make our world a better place? How do others use it earn a living? How much do we take our own separation from trash for granted?

And I’m by far from being the only one asking these types of questions! From a PR release from PBS today, if you’re free tomorrow you could do worse than go join the live chat with filmmaker Lucy Walker over on the Independent Lens blog tomorrow (Wednesday, February 9) at 1pm PST.

Filmmaker Lucy Walker will be joining us for a live chat on Wednesday, February 9 at 1 PM (Pacific) to talk about her film Waste Land. The documentary, which airs April 19 on Independent Lens has been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.

The film follows Brazilian artist Vik Muniz, who travels to his native Rio de Janiero to embark on an ambitious mission to create portraits of the local trash pickers out of the garbage they collect the world’s largest landfill.

Don’t have time to join the chat tomorrow?

Go check out the Waste Land’s website here. Learn more about the catadores profiled in the film here. Read the New York Times review of the film here.

 

[Portrait of a catadore by Vik Muniz]
I especially love this quote from the film that starts out the NYT review from, Tiao, one of Waste Land’s profiled catadores, “We are not pickers of garbage; we are pickers of recyclable materials.” I think this simple quote perfectly elucidates trash’s ever revolving status and notes that instead of simply refuse, it’s also full of reusable materials. Instead of what we throw away being the end of the line, it can also be the beginning of someone else’s livelihood, project or dream.

Want to learn more about trash around the world? Go check out another amazing Independent Lens documentary, Garbage Dreams here. Here’s a preview of the film, about Cairo residents who work in one of the world’s largest trash dumps.

And before you chuck that next thing in the trash? Do you know where it’s going? Can it be recycled? Can it be upcycled? Where will it go after the trash bag leaves your house?

I still think that the possibilities of trash are endless, but in learning more from the stories of trash around the world, I begin to think more about the status of trash and of those working with it, the notion that “one (wo)man’s trash is another (wo)man’s treasure,” and how easily so much waste passes through my own hands each day. Should we be doing more to use our trash in creative ways? Should we be doing more to help those in other countries reuse their trash in more creative ways… especially when their country infrastructure lacks recycling and sanitation programs?

And like what happens whenever you start asking questions… the bottom opens up and suddenly your ideas and the possibilities continue to build and build and build until new solutions form and new projects unfold and shiny new collaborations take hold. And, like magic, from what previously seemed to be nothing, a whole new world shows itself to you.

Not totally unlike what happens when you start to take a real look at the trash in front of you.

Singing. Creativity. Healing. Joy.

| Betsy

Sometimes you just need to sing. Especially songs you love. And I’m currently in love with this song. Its cheeriness reminds me of what the heart of creativity really is. Joy. Even if it’s using some not so pretty emotions, it’s gettin’ ’em out to the surface, which is, indeed, joy.

It took me a long time to learn that lesson. That healing is its own kind of joy, maybe not as fun to experience as actual ecstatic singing-outloud-and-petting-puppies-and-eating-ice-cream joy, but still, joy. The best part? As you keep going, keep making, the closer you get to singing, puppies and ice cream. Sometimes it’s a slow boat, but it’s a slow boat to healing, not hell. And I like that.

I also like singing and puppies and ice cream. One day I’ll be sitting in the sunshine doing all three at the same time. It will be awesome. You should join me.






Thank you, Allo Darlin’!

Super extra crafty bonus points for the kickass decoupage job on the cover.

The more observant of you may notice, “Hey, what’s up with this frequent posting?” Well, it’s pretty amazing what a little structure of 9-5 can do… Along with finally being able to sleep due to less financial worry. I had forgotten that sleep generally means sleeping consecutive hours, not random bits and bobs. Crazy, innit?



Urban Engagement, Graffiti Knitting & A Really Cool Dog

| Betsy

If you follow what’s going on in the craft world, chances are you know about what’s been called yarn bombing, yarn storming, graffiti knitting and/or guerrilla knitting. It’s a crafty way to reclaim city space and make your town, city, village more personable and less drab. It’s so easy to get lost in a sea of concrete and brick and asphalt- Why not liven it up a bit? Crafters around the world are doing just that, covering statues, lightposts, bike rails… bus stops… the bus stop above was adorned in Tel Aviv by the group Savta Connection.

As generally happens in life, some people love it. Some people hate it. Either way you crack it, it opens up a dialogue about engaging with public space. For decades artists and kids hellbent on vandalism alike have used public space and walls as their canvas. Some of it is great, others not so much.

But what urban knitting does that street art doesn’t is bring the tactile into the equation. You can touch it and feel the different types of yarn involved. It’s taking street art just one step further. With this in mind, I was ecstatic when recently I discovered the project in the video below called “Sniff.” First of all, go watch the video… then keep reading.

Sniff from karolina sobecka on Vimeo.

Okay, now that you’ve seen the video, you know what I mean about it also taking street art a step further. And this is just the beginning! After you calm down again after the awesomeness above, maybe have a cup of tea or something, you may have some questions like…

1. Just what is going on with that dog? You can see how the did it over here.
2. Who made this? Karolina Sobecka.
3. What else has she done? By clicking over to her website you can see other projects listed on the left-hand side of the screen. I suggest Wildlife, which will both make you feel like you’re in a Disney movie and ask yourself, “What animal do I want running beside me as I drive to the grocery store?”

Or you may have totally different questions or ideas entirely, in which case I urge you to explore them. Search for solutions to the question. Brainstorm the execution of that idea. Just let your mind wander where it will, and try checking out other urban art projects like this one:


Kindred Times and Future Goodbyes from Leah Borromeo on Vimeo.



Also recommended, Sarah Corbett’s (of Craftivist Collective) essay My Right to be a Craftivist.

The post above the line was originally posted on the now defunct collaborative blog Make and Meaning on January 4, 2010.

Photo from Flickr user serenity_now.

Sherri Wood’s New Blog!

| Betsy

Years ago, when I had first returned to North Carolina, I kept hearing about the amazing works of local artist Sherri Wood. I ate lunch under one of the installations of the 1200 hats she made with women in the North Carolina Correctional Institute for Women. I read about her Tattoo Baby Doll Project. I read Issue #5 of Knit Knit with the photo of her pieces Comfort Room and L.A.T.C.H. on the cover. I eagerly followed the progress of her Mantra Trailer. I interviewed her about her Passage Quilts for my book, Knitting for Good!

So, I was happy to hear that Sherri has started a blog over at Daintytime.net and in one of her first posts, part of a greater mending tutorial, talks about the “unpredictable geography of mending.” Also of note, her Modern Mood Quilt Craft Along tutorial Welcome to blogland, Sherri!



Crafty Links:
*Crochet Ombre Necklace tutorial (via Cut Out + Keep)
*The Great Owl Crochet Along at (Itsy Bitsy Spider Crochet)
*Electricity in Bhutan help women weavers earn extra money
*The emotional knitted sculpture of Johan Ku (via Ecoterre.com article)
*Stethoscope Cozy Crochet Pattern!!!! (via Meet Me In The Day Room)

[Photos above from Sherri Wood’s Flickr account of Passage Quilts.]

What’s happening? I disappeared… But finally got internet in my apartment for the first time in over a month. Network “Waterloo” (named after one of my favorite ABBA songs) is up and running!