The project
An installation that is being built by each participant, who is invited to make a pom-pom and add it to a net. The net, as a reference to a network, is a metaphor for knitting a community, but it is built through each individual, who is unique and special.
The outcome is, therefore, an ongoing transformation of colors and forms as each pom-pom is added.
The motivation behind the idea
A unique moment when I learned how to make a pom-pom for the first time as a child. It was one of those moments when memories and a sense of identity are being built, when the whole body tells you that you are capable of doing something for yourself. But this also happens because, at the same time, someone entrusts you with their time, materials, and knowledge. A small thing on the outside, but a huge one on the inside, building your self-esteem.
All those feelings—the connection with the person who teaches, that moment in childhood—are tied to the pom-pom itself. That's why is so special to me.
How was the participation in the installation
Three points were open during the installation last:
Uxbridge Arts & Culture, Te Tuhi and Ormiston Town Center. Where it was possible to collect the yarn ball and follow the instructions to make the pom-pom. Then, each week, they were collected and added to the grand piece, gradually transforming, filling with color and exuberance until we reach the 3.000 pom poms.
Step by Step
How it was made.
