Magda Sayeg: How yarn bombing grew into a worldwide movement
Magda Sayeg uses handmade, eye-catching yarn bombs to shake up the way we see the world and make us notice things we hadn't seen before. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
the yarn bombing movement.
knitted or crocheted material
graffiti-style --
ambitious notions about it,
warm and fuzzy and human-like
that I looked at everyday.
would change the course of my life.
"What else could I do?"
that would get the same reaction?
pole near my house.
and take pictures next to it,
in the neighborhood.
the stronger the reaction.
was my playground.
of enhancing the ordinary,
or its functionality
suit out of knitting.
to take inanimate objects
I wanted to take it seriously.
this take over my life,
reacting so strongly to it.
fast-paced, digital world,
something that's relatable.
cities that we live in,
about that stuff anymore.
that's wrapped in knitting
I love to share with others.
and the stop sign poles
and large-scale and insurmountable?
in my heart for this one.
were recognizing my work
that was large-scale,
city bus to be wrapped in knitting.
but I certainly don't own it anymore.
were doing this.
to certain parts of the world
and I knew I didn't wrap it.
my own goals with my art --
the hidden power of this craft
I had with the rest of the world.
I'd have a connection with.
in the most unassuming places,
that are just waiting to be discovered.
these tools that are connected to us,
we hold a controller or a cell phone.
if you put those things down?
What would you create with your own hands?
that I am a master knitter
a sweater to save my life.
interesting with knitting
formally trained to do this --
this was in the cards for me,
stumble upon this.
I held on tight,
that I am a working artist today.
might not be so seamless.
be as bored as I was
to change your world forever.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Magda Sayeg - Textile artistMagda Sayeg uses handmade, eye-catching yarn bombs to shake up the way we see the world and make us notice things we hadn't seen before.
Why you should listen
Considered to be the mother of yarn bombing, Magda Sayeg’s 10-year body of work includes the widely recognized knitted/crocheted covered bus in Mexico City as well as her first solo exhibit in Rome at La Museo des Esposizione. Her work has evolved to include large scale installations around the world including commissions and collaborations with companies such as Commes Des Garçons, CR Fashionbook, Absolut Vodka, Insight 51, Mini Cooper, Gap, Smart Car. She continues to participate in shows such as Milan's Triennale Design Museum, Le M.U.R. in Paris and the National Gallery of Australia, among others. Her installations have also been featured prominently at American monuments to contemporary culture, such as The Standard Hotel, South By Southwest and the Austin City Limits Festival.
Magda has most recently expanded her artwork to encompass new mediums and techniques as with her solo show in Rome, which explored the usage of lighting with knitted material. She continues to expand her boundaries by joining integrated media company 1stAveMachine as one of their directors which will serve as a platform for new types of experimentation and collaboration.
Recent projects include an installation for Dover Street Market in NYC covering a column spanning 6 floors and a knitted/crocheted Route Master Double Decker bus in London.
Magda Sayeg | Speaker | TED.com