One of my favorite SXSW features is Knitta, Please, a now-large scale project begun by Magda Sayeg in her then-home of Houston. Everywhere she looked it was gray, and as a dedicated artist she wanted to infuse her environment with handmade color. She didn’t have paint. She had something better – yarn.
I first learned about the project at a commercial shown prior to a documentary screening at SXSW. My favorite line from Magda – “you don’t knit for hate. This is a goodness project.” And the world needs more goodness. In 2005, she started Knitta, Please, an organization dedicated to incorporating woven graffiti into urban environments. The work of the Knittas can now be found on 5 continents. The variety of pictures on her website’s gallery speak for themselves. Hop over there and take a look.
To earn more about Knitta, Please, check out their website and blog. How might your art help to bring more color to the world in a meaningful way?
I snapped the photo above in the green room at the Austin Convention Center during SXSW and posted it to my Tumblr photo blog. And yes, it did make me think about how many places in the world need more art.
Christa Avampato 