Alright. I am behind on life! Why is this such a common state these days? I guess when I really begin to contemplate the situation, it isn't a new state. My grandmothers and great-grand mothers were both hard working ladies - farming, raising babies, keeping house, cooking (in the case of Adeline for about 15 farmhands three meals a day), making clothes, volunteering time (Ginny did meals on wheels well into her eighties), and trying to maintain relationships with friends, family, and husbands. Wow! I actually feel better now! At least I don't have to cook for 15 seriously hungry guys and then mop up the cow poo they tracked through my kitchen. Kudos, Adeline, you are a champion among women! Now, onto the flowers, the highlight of my week. The gorgeous red flower at the beginning of this post is from Liela, who despite a broken arm managed a lovely flower complete with leaves.
This vibrant cluster is from Grace. The color palette is so dramatic and summery.
And this set is from Joanne. Each came pinned to a description of the yarn and the original project. They remind me of biological samples - like rather than knitting them she went foraging and discovered them. I love the idea of foraging for knitted flowers and plants.
Last week's question seemed to be a bit of a dud and I fear this week's might be too. But here we go!Do you see knitting as activism or as political? Why/not?
I do and I don't. Knitting has participated in some political actions - war time knitting and charity knitting can both be seen as political. Suffragettes also packed their knitting on protests and embroidered their banners. But I think knitting may have just been along for the ride - a companion or medium through which protest occurred - but not inherently political. Currently, I think there are some artists and activists also using knitting, but is knitting political and activist or just the medium through which activism speaks? Here are some links:
What do you think? Are there other artists using knitting in this way? Please share them with us. As always I look forward to reading your brilliant comments.
I think this is a really interesting question. In the links you posted I think it is mainly a medium, but a medium chosen for its activist qualities. I think knitting is also inherently activist, even if we are just knitting cute little scarves. We are programmed to expect perfect, mass-produced product and tend to dismiss imperfect, personal, hand-made creations in textiles, music, art, food. Even the act of knitting--choosing to do tedious manual labor when we could get a machine to do it for us--flies in the face of our cultural expectations. I think gardening, home-cooking, sewing, and other luddite pursuits are similarly activist.
ReplyDeleteI think my head is going to explode trying to formulate any coherent response to this week's question. Can I just knit more flowers this week?
ReplyDeleteWhile I do realize that artist will use any medium for activism and have used it as such in the past and probably will in the future, I do not see knitting as inherently political or activistic ( is that a word?) I mean last week? or was it the week before? People were wearing red to bring attention to heart disease being the no 1 killer of women. People wear pink to draw attention to breast cancer. Are red and pink activists. Hardly, they are just used that way. Rainbows are used for gay pride. But a rainbow after a spring rain is not political.
ReplyDeleteI was on the computer (don't remember the site) where someone said that knitting and charity knitting specifically was anti feminist. I really didn't get that at all. I knit because I like to knit. I knit for charity because it is an easy way to help people that I can literally do anytime I have time. I give my family and friends knit items because except for socks I don't wear a lot of knits ( I am usually too warm, not too cool) that's so I don't bury myself in the knit products I create. I like playing video games I don't see them as political , although purchasing the kill everyone games probably is.
Ria,
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure where you picked it up, but on this site I talked about how the *expectation* of charity knitting is anti-feminist, and the idea that we have nothing better to give than our time (and that our time is so cheap that of course we should donate it) is also anti-feminist.
As to whether knitting is an inherently political act, I'm on the fence. There's two sides: whether the knitter intends to make a statement in the act of knitting or the use of handknit goods, or whether observers read a statement in the act or use.
As a knitter, I don't intend to make political statements with my knitting. It's far cheaper to buy machine knits, and it's not clear to me whether the full cost is larger or smaller for professional knitting vs. amateur knitting. I make handknits because I like to knit, and I wear them because I like to wear what I have. Is that inherently political? Only if you take the stance that everything is politics.
That said, there are times when observers read an (inappropriate?) political agenda into my activities. For example, this weekend I was accused of knitting Defarge-like during talks for a work conference. I tried pointing out that the colorway was "The Road to Socialism" not "The Road to Decapitation", but no one got it.
I always feel stupid when it comes to this kind of question. What's the definition of political? Is tagging items such as stop signs, public trees, etc, activist? I'm not trying to be a smart ass, I just am curious. Growing up at the end of the second wave feminism, I believed that I could do anything a boy could do, was not too happy at the Title IX (that's the right one, right) because I was not interested in gym class or anything athletic at the time and felt that it was imposing something on me that wasn't inherent to my nature (not realizing it was more like state sponsored terrorism masquerading as physical education that I did not like; I do like solo sports quite well as an adult). That when I crocheted as a child I was considered "old fashioned" and the whole idea of reclaiming what was seen as "women's work" with the new wave of knitting I guess is what is political about it. Truly it is freedom to choose. To choose whether to make a sweater or to buy one. To indulge in the luxury of taking the time to hand make something that could just as easily be bought, (I struggle with this in terms of being thought selfish; so I suppose that is also a political act, giving of time to oneself, self nurturing is too often the last on our list of priorities). Some artists choose the medium as part of their message; I think the contrast of something seen as warm and nurturing (such as a sweater or afghan) made with a political statement (I am thinking of the work of Lisa Anne Auerbach here) is part of the power of that kind of work, but it is not the only way in which to express a viewpoint through the art.
ReplyDeletea very difficult question, and I need a bit more time to think about it, but I do think that charity knitting, and war time knitting are patriotic and giving as opposed to political, maybe its just the way I define political. Politics to me mean doctrines, and -isms and laws, patriotism shows support, and giving back when others can't . I'll get back to you on the rest of the question.
ReplyDeleteOn behalf of Ingrid:
ReplyDelete"I think that ultimately knitting is just another medium for political activism: I don't think that it is inherently political. I think that the reason why it makes such an impact is that it is that it has traditionally been seen as something somewhat domestic and as such stands out more when used out of context. Groups such as knitta 'bomb' lampposts and doorhandles with knitted cosies and post the fruits of their labour online."
ART? ACTIVISM? Obviously, I don't speak for anyone but myself when I say: Nothing I knit (not even flowers for Molly) is anywhere CLOSE to that serious. Sometimes a sweater is just a sweater. Thankfully, I have the freedom in my life to entertain myself with handiwork. That's all it is for me.
ReplyDeleteOn behalf of Stefanie:
ReplyDelete"i think a lot of people have done some interesting things with knitting that address social and political issues. i'm not so sure the simple act of me knitting is necessarily political - but the personal is political, so maybe it is. i guess i dont think about it much, it's just something i do! i don't set out to make any sort of political statement. i really admire people who find ways to make their craft draw attention to an issue that is important to them.
then again, if i didn't knit all the stuff that i do, i would have to go shopping a lot more and would probably end up giving a lot of money to big corporations and big box retailers...so in a way, knitting is my tiny way of supporting independent businesses (like my LYS, smallish yarn companies or indie dyers on etsy, designers on ravelry) and eschewing the mass-produced, overpriced crap of the chain stores."
Some knitters use their knitting for a political statement, like the urban knitters, or those who support environmental issues by using ecofriendly fibers only. Whether we realize it or not we all are participating in the politics of knitting by choosing where we buy our fibers.
ReplyDeleteI have not thought about knitting as either. I use knitting as my out! When I want to escape from the world and not think of these things I knit. I knit to be happy, to releive stress, to socialize with my 'sisters'. Activism and Politics are too much for me to think about while I'm knitting.
ReplyDeleteI hadn't really thought about knitting in political terms before. I know people do it (there's a machine knitter on Ravelry who makes sweaters with a political message.) I use my knitting as my stress release, or to make something nice for someone else.
ReplyDeleteKnitting can be political, or an activism or anything. I occasionally see my knitting as a religious experience, even. . .not because I worship yarn, but because I can use my knitting to share with others the love I have experienced as a direct result of my faith experiences. It's just another way to give. What each knitter decides to give to is what makes knitting what it is. If you knit for a political campaign's advertisement, it is political. If you knit to protest something, the knitter becomes an activist. And if you knit to give gifts in the name of a diety, you are a religious knitter.
ReplyDeleteInteresting question, one I hadn't thought about before, but from the cuff, my response would be it's more activist.
ReplyDeleteI come to this conclusion because MANY out there at one time or on a continual basis do charity knitting. And making knits for a cause seems like an activist sort of ACTION. I think it is wonderful that so many care about the plight of others and give of their time and their volunteer activity. Knitting for a cause.
Also, I do agree with you that historically the role of knitting was "along for the ride." That makes perfect sense.