Yarn Bombing OMCA

Yarn bombing is a recent form of street art in which knit or crochet work is installed in public space. The art form is said to have begun in 2005, when artist Magda Sayeg knit a cozy for the door handle of her Houston boutique, and has since spread around the world. From Denver to Sydney to London, ephemeral works of yarn cover parking meters, metro seats, sidewalk cracks, and statues. Many yarn bombers align the movement with graffiti art, sometimes calling it "grandma graffiti." Indeed, although graffiti and yarn bombing are typically received by audiences in very different ways, both are unlawful forays into public space, usually executed at night.

The most prolific Bay Area yarn bomber is a fiber artist named Streetcolor. Streetcolor has installed her work in dozens of locations throughout Berkeley and Oakland. She is unique among yarn bombers in that she uses exceptionally high-quality wool that she spins by hand. Streetcolor approached the Oakland Standard in August 2011 and requested support to extend her work from the streets surrounding OMCA to the interior of the Museum. 

In late October, Streetcolor installed her knitwork at eight different locations on Museum grounds. She worked while the Museum was open, answering many curious questions from visitors. Special thanks to her team of volunteers: Nancy Rodriguiz Bell, Betsy Graham, Brenda Loreman, and Natasha Matteson. The yarn bomb will be deinstalled in late December 2011.

Through this project, the Oakland Standard hopes to show support for emerging forms of street art, and continue a broader OMCA conversation about the definition of art. What's the distinction between street art and fine art? How is art different from craft? Who decides? 

I'd been working as a professional textile artist for about ten years—knitting, weaving, crocheting, dyeing, beading, and felting. I have an art school education (I graduated from California College of the Arts), and have shown my work in galleries all over the US and Korea. But I was tired of thinking of my art as a commercial commodity.

The first time I saw yarn bombing, I felt it was my calling. I was elated to see knitting outside. It was beautiful, funny, domestic, and surprising. I liked the street art tradition of making work anonymously. Anonymous artwork subverts the cult of celebrity. I began yarn bombing around my home and decided to use the name Streetcolor.

I've used yarn bombing to map my favorite places. I've also used it to connect with and mark a new place. I know the work will be destroyed eventually by time or vandalism, so I photograph it as a record.

—Streetcolor 

On November 4, 2011 OMCA hosted an outdoor knitting circle to celebrate Streetcolor's yarn bomb. Special thanks to the knitters and crocheters who joined the circle and contributed flowers to the installation: Amy Stimmel, Anita Rees, Brenda Loreman, Carla Bossieux, Denise Leto, Diane Perlite, Elizabeth Jerde, Ian, Jennifer Birch, Jenny Briffa of Flacaknits, Jon Taylor, Laura Mae Deleon, Linda Chin, Liz Swerling, Monica, Nancy Rodriguez-Bell, Peirrette Moore, Rachel Eley, Rebecca, Robert Fink-Stone, Roseann Fahrner, Ruth Pleaner, Sandy Andersen Wertanen, Sonia IronCloud, Sylvia Cortez, Stefani Leto aka Stefaneener, Tomoko Miyake, Talula Birch, Tina Monaco, Tisha Carper Long, Violet Juno.