What's "Radical"?

I went to this show a while back:

I was NOT impressed.  As a whole (as the PROGRAM COVER would indicate), the entire show, held at the Museum of Art & Design, was LOOSELY (and I use that word at its loosest) based on the idea of lacy holes in things.  There were a couple little things (and I mean little) that were such small scale they blew my mind.  Not because it was radical or subversive or cool or whatever....just because they were so damned tiny.  That part was awe-inspiring.  How on earth did they knit that small???  The rest of the show was really sculpture-based, with the occasional mention of the knitwear world, but seemed to be written by curators that hoped to tie an art show into the ever-crazed world of knitting.  And the guy that "knits" with cranes and enormous telephone poles or whatever and calls them "needles".  Don't get me started.  No wonder people like simple, good design.

And then you get to the lower level where there is a table set up with your token "come knit with us" group.  It seemed a little awkward.  If you're going to call a show "Radical Lace & Subversive Knitting" - you're going to attract a certain demographic.  And the cute little ladies downstairs certainly didn't appear to have a subervise bone in their bodies.  And the word SUBVERSIVE?  This is just downright confusing.  I would have used the word AVERSIVE instead, and would have rather gone to a Sonia Rykeil fashion show.   I've heard similar feedback from some others who went. 

Anyway, enough ranting.  Speaking of radical (or ugly) - Geometrie is done. 

I got this yarn at Seaport.  It's from the Japanese company Diakeito.  I really like their yarns, they are slightly unusual, albeit very expensive. (Diakeito, not Seaport)  But, I'm ok with the result.  Just ok. 

This is the brim:

Then I balled up the leftovers to finish the triangle top in three parts, later seamed together. 

These were all the colors in the ball.  It was an odd colorway, but I wanted to see if it all worked together.  Maybe, maybe not.  I can't decide.  I think I'm more fond of the shape, effect, etc., than the colors together.  But it was fun actually playing with the leftovers and being ok with throwing away a color I didn't want. 

Comments

[scout]

I really like how they all look together.

And oh how I wish I had been a fly on the wall when you walked into the room of of the cute ladies knitting lace.....

[Iris]

Eh. I might check out that show but it ain't a must see for me. Especially after your review.

But anyway- LOVE that hat. It all comes together- even the colors. For me, anyway.

[Oiyi]

I have been eyeing and touching that yarn at Seaport Yarns, but have been able to resist buying it so far. It is expensive, but the colors keep attracting me.

[Ruinwen]

What a great hat! I love the way it all comes together. :)

[Craptina]

The knitted dress made from torn cash was cool, and so was The Freddie Robbins "Craft Kills" other than that, I agree, not a very subversive show. The neurotic in me spent the time downstairs un-knotting all the crappy yarn that was supplied.

I like your hat; it's a really different construction.

[Beth K]

The hat is cool in a small child sort of way. The show seems odd. Sort of like seeing the painting at the art show that was called "Snow covered Prairie" and it was white with a black suqare in the middle. I am guessing first they forgot this was an art place in the middle of Nebraska and 2nd they had never seen a snow covered prairie.

[Linda]

LOVE that hat made of Diakeito yarn. Bold colors; brave pattern. Mmmmmm.

[carrie]

I really like the hat, and the yarn. A lot. I think it's very artsy and cool. Nice work.

[Sarah]

Until someone figures out a way to needle-felt Karl Rove into a big harmless fuzzy sculpture for the Rotunda, I'm going to continue to roll my eyes at the use of the word "subversive" to describe arts & crafts.

I like the hat - it reminds me of one of Zimmermann's hat designs. The colorway is a little bit elementary school - I think it could have done without the yellow - but I'm always intrigued by Diakeito's combinations.

[somebunnyslove]

Love the hat's great design. I admit, when we were at MAD for the exhibition, there were a bunch of us and no demure ladies to run over. Besides the teeny sweaters and gloves, weren't you impressed with the glowing silk dress knit with 3M tape, the huge crocheted thingamagig hanging in MAD's window, the cobwebs near the elevator, or the garments knitted out of newspaper? Okay... I blabbed a bunch. Let's blame it on the White Macadamia Russions I'ma drinkin!
=:8

[TheAmpuT]

I really like the hat. Without even looking at the colors, I think the shape of it is just simply fantastic.