Craft, art and community action

30 April 2008

People from all over Auckland have been knitting up a storm in the last year creating unique, hand-made blankets that are now being transformed into Shelter, an art installation at Artstation.

Artstation's Domestic Craft and Contemporary Art group (aka The Knitterati) has turned the craft of knitting into a generous community action.

"We are bringing all the blankets created in homes, libraries, cafes and community centres together to form a temporary architectural shelter", says Knitterati member, Liz Wilkinson.

Shelter is showing at Artstation from 15 to 21 May, after which the installation will be dismantled and the blankets donated to the New Zealand Red Cross and given to refugees arriving in New Zealand.

The Knitterati will hold free workshops for schools and community groups inside the installation and their knitted pieces will be added to a growing blanket which will also be donated to the Red Cross.

"Both the process of making and the final form of the materials promote the idea that individual actions are not insignificant to the larger picture," says Liz Wilkinson.

To register for one of the knitting workshops or for more information about the exhibition visit the website or call 09 376 3221.