Ever had a crazy idea and thought what would happen if…..
That’s exactly what Magda Sayeg did when she tied a piece of knitting around a parking meter. A crew of knitters, bombing the inner city with vibrant, stitched works of art was born. We caught up with Magda the founder of “Knittaplease” a graffiti knitting crew, to find out all about her latest project in Mexico.
How did you get involved with this project?
I met the people that run Elaboratorio on my first trip to Mexico City, and we knew we both wanted to make something happen with KnittaPlease, preferably large-scale. So about a month ago they approached me about wrapping a trolly bus for the Absolute Vodka campaign called “Absolut World”. There are many artists involved in the project, but I am the only “imported” one.
What was it in aid of?
There were 4 buses that were used in the event. So it wasn’t really in aid of anything except a city wide art event funded by AV.
When and where did it take place?
In Mexico City at Parc Luis Cabrero. It should be there for at least a month, if not longer.
Who was involved in this project?
Elaboratorio and Absolut Vodka
When organizing an event like this what are the most important things to focus on?
Most importantly that I have enough materials and a crew of people that know how to install
How did you decide what took priority?
Obviously that I accomplished successfully what I was sent to do. That meant that I was on hand for every detail of the installation.
What challenges did you face and how did you overcome them?
Using glue to install some of the pieces was unpleasant but necessary, not only for a tidier appearance , but also to ensure that no one will take it off easily.
What was the most difficult thing about organizing this event?
Fortunately I didn’t have to organize too much. I was sent there as part of a much bigger project than my bus. I was met by a crew of helpers and we worked very hard until it was all done.
What lessons have you learned from this experience?
In a way ,many……. I learn more about my art and the passion I have for it. I know I want to do bigger and bigger projects. I know I like seeing the world and I know that I want to quit my day job!
Did anything funny happen?
Well, I brought my family so every 5 minutes something funny happened. I enjoyed over hearing my six year old ask another little girl how to say ” I farted” in Spanish. Lot’s of bathroom humor overall.
Is there anything you would do differently if you were to do it again?
Absolutely nothing… this trip was amazing. The bus installation was a huge success. I met people I want to stay in touch with forever. I would do it again in a second. As you can plainly see I am suffering from sever vacation withdrawal at the moment.
Sometimes its those crazy ideas that can be real diamonds in the rough, so why don’t you take some action on your idea today and see where it leads you.
Here’s our previous interview about graffiti knitting with Magda
For more information about Knittaplease
www.knittaplease.com
www.myspace.com/knittaplease
