The exhibition shows that knitting moves with the times. Patterns develop and come to characterise styles and groups of people: think of Norwegian woollen gloves and retro fishermen’s sweaters. The media also play an important role in this – remember the ‘Starsky & Hutch cardigans’, or the hype a few years ago that was created around the knitted sweaters worn by the character Sarah Lund in the TV series The Killing?
It all comes together in the largest room of the exhibition: old knitted objects, modern knitted art, and the latest designs. Highlights from the collection include exquisite beaded purses and gold Frisian oorijzers (ornamental metal ear pieces) with baggy caps of gossamer-thin Frisian lace knitting, and 18th-century mittens: fingerless gloves to protect the arms from the sun, which are fashionable again because they make it easier to handle smartphones in winter. Historical objects alternate with surprising and contemporary loaned objects. While the joyful, enigmatic knitted objects by London-based artist Zoë Landau Konson instantly make you smile, you‘ll be surprised by the material Chrystl Rijkeboer uses in her magical work: human hair. Other exhibits include famous knitwear design hassocks by Christien Meindertsma, Stephen West’s colourful swants (sweater pants – trousers made from pullovers), and fashion items by the Netherlands’ hippest fashion designer, Bas Kosters.
Studio La Meul devised a fresh, cheerful and fairytale-like design for the Knitting! exhibition. Objects from the collection are presented in an original way in peep boxes, on mannequins with animal heads, and on complete figures from nature. There is so much to see: geese wearing baggy hats, busts of deer with fishermen’s sweaters on, a shrub sprouting Norwegian gloves and beaded bags hanging from a tree. Seeing all this knitwear makes you want to touch it, of course, so a special ‘touch trail’ is included in the exhibition. And of course the design of the information texts is inspired by washing labels!
participate
During the exhibition there will be knitting every day in the Fries Museum in a special knitting room where anyone can join in. On Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays, ‘museum knitters’ will be in attendance. You can ask them for tips and tricks, and knit together with them. In addition, the museum will organise a knitting contest, knitting courses, a knitting café, an ugly Christmas sweater party, and more.
Knitting! is made possible by the Mondriaan Fonds, Fonds 21, VSBfonds, Stichting Woudsend Anno 1816 and the Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds Fryslân. The knitting room and programme of activities are made possible by the Fonds voor Cultuurparticipatie.
