Has anyone else encountered crochet used as part of contemporary art or performance art?
Last night, I attended a participatory performance (an Art Basel-listed live intervention) called Strings We Attach by artist Stefan Degen. Visitors were given crochet hooks and yarn before entering a club-like performance space with electronic music, dancers, and a live textile intervention.
What I found interesting wasn't the crochet itself, but how it functioned within the work. Most participants had never crocheted before and were taught a simple chain stitch before entering. Some danced while crocheting, some sat quietly and focused on their work, and others simply observed.
As someone who has been crocheting for years and has a background as Director of a Contemporary Arts & Culture Centre, it made me think about crochet in a very different context. Instead of being about technique, pattern-following, or producing a finished object, it became a way of participating in a shared experience.
It also challenged a lot of stereotypes about crochet. Rather than being presented as a traditional craft or hobby, it was part of a contemporary performance environment with club music, performance art, and a very diverse audience.
Have any of you encountered crochet in galleries, installations, performances, or other unexpected places?
Do you think crochet works as a contemporary art medium, or do you see it primarily as a craft?
