'Let's Knit Together': Performance

Performance as part of COMMON PLATFORM, Group Exhibiton, 21st May 2010, SWG3.

Props = Computer chair, yarn (twine), size 7.5 knitting needles, leather gloves.

Place computer chair 5-10 metres away from a pillar twine can be securely tied to. Tie twine to pillar and unravel to computer chair (leaving enough to cast on and begin comfortably) and cut. Cast on 10 stitches using end of twine, sit down on chair with feet off the floor, and start knitting. As knitting continues and becomes tenser and gradually more difficult, the piece of knitting gets larger, while the knitter and the chair get closer to the pillar (wall).

Images from book of collages

In Writing

Session #4: Stream of Consciousness & Interior Monologue

The second extract we read comes from later in the novel, and illustrates how one thought leads to another by a quick process of association. Stephen Dedalus watches two nuns/midwives walking on the beach. He recalls that one such midwife assisted at his own birth. He glimpses some knitting in her bag and imagines the strand of wool as a navel cord, and the knitting as a “misbirth” “hushed in ruddy wool”. The idea of a navel cord makes him think of the genetic links that connect all human beings, going back to our original “mother”, Eve. “Navel” reminds him of “navel gazing”, or meditation. His knowledge of Greek  tells him the Greek word for navel, “omphalos” Somehow, the “cord” or cable, together with the idea of monks meditating in order to connect with God, gives Dedalus the hilarious idea of telephoning Eden: “Hello. Kinch here. Put me on to Edenville. Aleph, alpha: nought, nought, one.”

Quiet Arguments, Small sounds

The Whole Story

a knitted conversation

artifacts

'Let's Knit Together'

Public Art Project. Tuesday 23rd February.

Panasonic Shop, Byres Road, Glasgow.

3 films of people knitting playing on 11 TVs, 12pm-5pm.

An experienced knitter:

A first time knitter:

Inside the TV shop:

A (very) short film of the work: