Olek is launching her first UK solo show this evening at Tony’s Gallery in East London. The wall-to-floor installation recreates living quarters, complete with bed, tables, picture frames and other domestic objects — all covered in brightly-coloured crochet. AM has been keeping track of progress over the last few weeks and we’re looking forward to seeing the finished result. The show’s title, “I do not expect to be a mother but I do expect to die alone”, quotes from an appliquéd blanket produced by Tracey Emin in 2002 and last exhibited at her 2011 Hayward Gallery retrospective.
We are rather fond of Olek. Whilst it may just be our outdated romantic notions coming to the fore, we’re drawn to passionate individuals who refuse to be slowed down by trifling matters like sleep deprivation and physical discomfort. Crocheting non-stop for hours on end, week after week, regrettably goes hand-in-hand with repetitive strain injury. Nevertheless, we do get inspired by the determination needed to push through such pain barriers to pursue a creative vision. Artists, keep suffering.
We’ll cover tonight’s opening in a subsequent post. In the meantime, see additional setup and teaser photos, more rambling, and the details of Olek’s giveaway after the jump.
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