Whammock!

Here's an item I learned about through my subscription to the Fiber Art Network, which recently posted this link about an art installation in the New Children's Museum of San Diego.

"The stunningly colourful 28 by 20-foot, three-dimensional textile structure resembles a giant hammock of crocheted circles, open pockets and hanging pendulums. Within this play-structure, children are able to move upwards through one pocket after another until they reach a vibrant expanse where they can climb, slide, bounce and rest. It’s a one-of-a-kind place to play and interact with others, and the first large-scale work at a museum in the U.S. by internationally renowned textile artist Toshiko Horiuchi MacAdam."

 

By the numbers:

• 3600 hours of crochet
• 40 miles of hand-braided nylon
• 1000 pounds of net
• 14 hand-dyed colours
• will be in place for at least 5 years.

To quote McAdam, who works out of Bridgetown, Nova Scotia,

"To me, the concept of Whammock! is to connect with others through the waves of vibration in the net.... If a child climbs, jumps or crawls in one place then another child will feel the vibration and respond with their action, and in this way, they are naturally communicating to one another.” She also explains that the name Whammock! comes from the word hammock. “Every culture has a hammock or type of cradle, and Whammock! is a giant one that impacts everyone who plays in it.”

Here's a time-lapse video of Whammock's installation. Enjoy!