Sunday, 21 November 2010

The final artwork - your input is needed

We're at an interesting point in Knit a Neuron. We've got all the neurons in, we've been speaking with Catherine and we are all set to create the final artwork. But we've hit a snag, well, it's more than a snag, it's a problem.

As you know, when we started the project we got the go-ahead to house the final artwork in the Clinical Research Imaging Centre (CRIC). The CRIC will open in Easter next year, and we've only just been able to see the space. It turns out that it's not somewhere that can handle several hundred woolly neurons. We didn't realise just how popular knitting neurons was going to be and we now have too many (far too many!) to create an artwork that will fit into the space available. Particuarly as there are other artworks to go into the space.

This leaves us in a very uncomfortable quandry - what do we do with the finished piece? We want to hear your suggestions and have a few of our own too. Do use the comments option or email us directly to let us know your thoughts.

We've thought we could do the following:
  1. Find one (or two, or more) temporary exhibition spaces that will host the installation (we have some in mind, but if you know anywhere that would be interested do let us know) and raise money for charity at the same time
  2. Talk to a brain injury/rehabitalion charity who would like the display for their office
  3. Use the neurons for outreach eg doing talks for adult groups, schools etc where each group creates their own temporary installation while finding out about neuroscience, brain injury and therapy and about the project overall
  4. Create a book using photos from events and include some of the amazing stories we've heard from knitters all over the world.

We are incredibly sad that CRIC is unable to host Knit a Neuron as we, and we know a lot of you, were excited that the piece was going to have such a relevant home.

Do let us know your thoughts, comments and suggestions.

2 comments:

  1. Could you downsize it a bit, just use the best ones (maybe chose ones within a certain colour family) at the CRIC and then use the rest of them for outreach stuff?

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  2. Have you checked into any art museums or other more traditional art venues? The Smithsonian in Washington, DC has a crocheted Coral Reef on display right now. Maybe something like this could travel the world for that, along with accompanying information on your project, neuroscience, brain injury, etc.

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