Lou Baker, 'Critical knitting: knitting as a research method', presentation transcript, Dec 2019

1. Hi. I’m Lou Baker. I’m studying on the MA Fine art, part time, and as you may have noticed, I knit whenever and wherever I can!

2. Researching for this proposal has made me realise just how many ways I can use knitting as a practice-based research method.

3. I’m conscious that I’ve actually been using some of these aspects of knitting in this way in my practice for a number of years but I now want to analyse why, explore new ways to develop them as research methods and consider how I can be more intentional, document the process more thoroughly and make it more rigorous. So, here they are: 4. Knitting and thinking: Knitting (the verb) is like breathing, connecting my body with my mind through the haptic and kinaesthetic qualities of making and materials. Knitting in private, the physical and repetitive nature of knitting activates a deep and different way of thinking. Associated with the psychologist, Csiksentmihalyi’s ‘state of flow’, it’s a place of meditation where time flies. I’m sure you’ll recognise it in your practice too.

5. Anni Albers and the Bauhaus weaving theories describe a similar connection between making and thinking but add critical writing into the cycle of reflection.

6. Knitting, thinking and critical reflective writing: I’ve already found that adding writing into my rhythm of knitting and thinking is greatly enhancing my reflective practice.

7. Occupational therapist Betsan Corkhill’s research into the therapeutic benefits of knitting provides evidence that knitting can change brain and behaviour.

8. Knitting as a ‘stream of consciousness’: Knitting in the ‘state of flow’, I have no pattern, set myself a few rules, make decisions as I knit and the sculpture develops intuitively. I call it my ‘stream of consciousness’ knitting.

9. Janine Antoni’s weaving performance, Slumber, forges parallel links between body, consciousness, the unconscious and narrative.

10. Knitting by hand: Rosemarie Trockel’s machine-knitted ‘wool paintings’ investigate handmade versus industrial making and the different meanings of wool as material and knitting as process in each context. Her research provides a useful counterpoint to the significance of the handmade in my practice.

11.

Knitting and performance: Knitting in public, however, is very different to knitting in private. It definitely has performative aspects to it. I genuinely knit anywhere and everywhere and sometimes someone’s there to take a photo….

12. There’s a long history of feminist and political knitting performative activism. For example, Casey Jenkins’ performance Casting off my womb marked her 28 day menstrual cycle and Adrienne Sloane’s unravelling American flag are 2 different kinds of examples.

13. I sometimes wear my sculptures. Although I am a reluctant performer, I feel I should potentially add performance to my knitting research repertoire.

14. Knitting and time: A number of artists use knitting to gather or visualise data. Here, Rachel Gomme marks time in a durational performance. She knitted a new piece of work by unravelling another knitted piece.

15. Knitting and visualising data: A group of artists, Artangel, set up a community project, knitting data from the city over a year- traffic conditions, movement of people, temperature and weather etc.

16. Knitting and social engagement: Knitting in public is also a people catcher; people talk to me! It has what Nicolas Bourriaud describes as ‘relational aesthetics’. It’s a people magnet. Corkhill maintains that the side by side nature of knitting means that people find it easier to talk. I’ve been invited to take part in a project next year, gathering stories from residents in East Street, Bristol before the area is redeveloped. I plan to use knitting!

17. Knitting and participation: Stitching together is a group of research practitioners and academics who use ‘participatory textile making as an emerging methodological approach’ (Shercliff and Holroyd, 2019). Amy Twigger Holroyd is one of them. It could be a useful group for me to join!

18. ‘Knitting together’: In some of my interactive and participatory projects, like Safety net, where there’s no knitting involved, there’s still a ‘knitting together’ - of people, actions, thoughts, conversations and concept. I become the connector.

19. Knitting and interaction: Richard Tuttle describes the etymological links between the words ‘textile’ and ‘tactile’ and it’s clear that many people find it impossible not to touch my knitting. Thinking of knitting now as a noun, Living sculptures is a series of wearable knitted forms which I invite visitors to not only touch but to try on. The passive viewer becomes an active participant.

20. Knitting and context: Knitting’s perceived differently when it’s not as people expect. Roszika Parker’s theories of stitch being gendered, domestic, functional, private, perfect, decorative and safe highlight certain associated femininities. My knitted soft sculptures, in different contexts, can become Julia Kristeva’s abject, and Mary Douglas’ ‘matter out of place.’

21. Knitting and site responsiveness: Kwon and Dillon discuss meanings in installing art in unexpected places and Chiharu Shiota, Richard Tuttle, and Christo provide inspiring examples of site responsive work using textiles.

22. Knitting and construction: Anni Albers made links between media, the act of making and meaning. Richard Tuttle describes how the weave conceals and reveals elements of cloth and likens it to the grid motif in modern art and beyond. Andrea Zittel manipulated single threads into sculptures which she wore as clothing. Using crochet and an idiosyncratic knotting technique, her body became the machine.

23. Knitting and unexpected materials: The expectations of knitting is that it’s soft and flexible. I’m interested to see how the meanings change if unexpected materials are used. Almost anything linear could be knitted. The transformation of a line; knitting as drawing in Rosalind Krauss’ expanded field. What else could I try?

24. Dave Cole knits with unusual materials too which brings a different set of meanings to his work.

25. Knitting and documentation: Over the past few years, I’ve been documenting my participatory and social engaged work using notes, videos

and presentations but I realise that I need to make it a more intentional process.

26. This is my favourite quote so far this trimester. I’m looking forward to inventing some!

27. Knitting and my future plans: As you can see, there are plenty of ways to use knitting as a research method. I’m looking forward to exploring them during the rest of my MA, as appropriate. I will develop ways to use them effectively in the studio and also during a couple of planned exhibitions, installations and residencies as well. I’ll definitely keep on knitting anywhere and everywhere too!

28. Timeline of research: Using knitting as a focussed practice-led research method will enable me to link my practical making to critical theory and enhance my practice. I will stay flexible and responsive and explore at least some of these knitting methods and triangulate with other research methods too. I’m also planning to use other processes while I have access to the facilities at Bath Spa. 29. And here is my list of references.

30. Thank you for listening.