Magda Sayeg: How yarn bombing grew into a worldwide movement
Magda Sayeg: Hoe het wildbreien een wereldwijde beweging werd
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
een gebreid of een gehaakt stukje
graffiti-style --
omgeving plaatst,
ambitious notions about it,
warm and fuzzy and human-like
iets warms en zachts zien,
that I looked at everyday.
waar ik elke dag langskwam,
would change the course of my life.
mijn leven zou veranderen.
"What else could I do?"
nog meer kunnen doen?'
that would get the same reaction?
reactie krijgen?
pole near my house.
van het stopbord bij mijn huis.
and take pictures next to it,
en van wat ernaast stond,
in the neighborhood.
the stronger the reaction.
hoe sterker de reactie werd.
was my playground.
het lelijke, mooier maken,
of enhancing the ordinary,
or its functionality
te veranderen,
suit out of knitting.
gebreid jasje te geven.
to take inanimate objects
I wanted to take it seriously.
serieus aanpakken.
this take over my life,
mijn leven liet beheersen,
reacting so strongly to it.
zo sterk op reageerden.
fast-paced, digital world,
snelle, digitale wereld
something that's relatable.
dat we kunnen begrijpen.
minder gevoelig worden
cities that we live in,
waar we wonen,
about that stuff anymore.
als een stopbord in een gebreid jasje
that's wrapped in knitting
en vreemd genoeg een binding mee
waar ik van hou.
I love to share with others.
nieuwsgierigheid.
and the stop sign poles
and large-scale and insurmountable?
grootschalig en niet te overtreffen?
in my heart for this one.
aan terugdenken.
were recognizing my work
de erkenning voor mijn werk
that was large-scale,
city bus to be wrapped in knitting.
die bedekt was met breiwerk.
but I certainly don't own it anymore.
maar het was niet meer van mij.
were doing this.
to certain parts of the world
waar ik nog nooit geweest was
and I knew I didn't wrap it.
die ik niet had ingepakt.
my own goals with my art --
met mijn kunst
the hidden power of this craft
kracht van deze vaardigheid.
die ik deel met de rest van de wereld.
I had with the rest of the world.
met mensen zou vinden,
I'd have a connection with.
dat ik er een band mee had.
in the most unassuming places,
in kleine hoekjes kan zitten,
that are just waiting to be discovered.
die nog ontdekt moeten worden.
these tools that are connected to us,
verbonden met je lichaam,
we hold a controller or a cell phone.
of een afstandsbediening.
if you put those things down?
die dingen neerleggen?
What would you create with your own hands?
Wat kan je eigenhandig creëren?
geweldige breier ben.
that I am a master knitter
a sweater to save my life.
hing mijn leven ervan af.
interesting with knitting
een kunstenaar 'moest' zijn.
formally trained to do this --
this was in the cards for me,
dat dit mijn noodlot was,
stumble upon this.
dat dit geen toeval was.
I held on tight,
heb ik het gekoesterd.
that I am a working artist today.
dat ik nu een werkende kunstenaar ben.
niet altijd duidelijk is.
might not be so seamless.
be as bored as I was
net zo erg als ik toen,
to change your world forever.
dat voorgoed je wereld verandert.
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