ArrestedMotion logo
Tag Archives: Olek

Upcoming: BSA curated “GEOMETRICKS” @ Gallery Brooklyn

This weekend, our friends at Brooklyn Street Art will be presenting the inaugural show from their series Vandals or Visionaries where they invite a street artist to co-curate an exhibition at Gallery Brooklyn. Their first showcase entitled GEOMETRICKS is curated by Hellbent and includes a nice selection of artists such as Augustine Kofie, Chor Boogie, Drew Tyndell, Feral Child, Jaye Moon, Maya Hayuk, MOMO, OLEK, OverUnder and See One. Another interesting note is the inclusion of a special “Young Collectors Wall” which has works from the […]

Streets: Olek (Washington DC)

While in town for the 40 Under 40: Craft Futures showing at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Olek decided to gift the city with one of her signature yarn statue takeovers (here & here). This time she yarn-bombed the 12-foot tall Albert Einstein statue on the grounds of the National Academy of Sciences in Washington DC. Check out more in-progress shots of her and her assistants at work below as well as the finished photo. Via My Modern Met. Discuss Olek here.

Streets: Olek (Brazil)

Last we heard from Olek, she was in her home town of Katowice working her yarn-bombing magic on a couple of escavators for a street art festival. Now, the Polish knitter, who was recently named as one of the Smithsonian’s 40 under 40: Craft Futures artists, has surfaced in São Paulo, Brazil to do some work for SESC where she created “Crocheted Jacaré” for their playground, covering an alligator shaped installation designed by Marcia Maria Benevento. Photo credit: Lost Art (via Designboom). Discuss Olek here.

Rewind: June 18 – June 24

Another weekend, another Rewind feature here on AM. Leading off our summary of videos this week is the inspiring story (from The Guardian) of Syrian cartoonist Ali Farzat, who founded Syria’s first satirical weekly, Ad Domani. In August 2011, he was attacked by Bashar al-Assad’s militia who broke his hands to stop him from drawing Assad. Farzat was later awarded the European parliament Sakharov prize for freedom of thought. Olek sells cellphones to pay her legal bills (via Hyperallergic). Abstract five years old child painter, Aelta Andre […]

Streets: Olek – Katowice Street Art Festival (Poland)

The last we saw of the Polish-born Olek, she was filling a gallery in New York (covered) with an immersive installation utilizing balloons. It looks like she has decided to return to using her signature yarn for her part in the Katowice Street Art Festival (April 20 – 29) in her hometown which will also feature work from Mark Jenkins, Mentalgassi, Tellas, ROA, Hyuro, Moneyless, Escif, M-City and others. Coincidentally, she will also be celebrating her 10th year of making art which she is doing […]

Openings: Olek & David Peterson – “Synthetic Nature” @ Krause Gallery

AM recently attended the Olek’s latest show at New York City’s Krause Gallery. Yes, we said NYC. The rogue urban crocheter was out on bail from the UK and returned to her hometown to do a show with David Peterson entitled Synthetic Nature. For this special event, Olek ditched her signature yarn and utilized balloons. Using synthetic rubber, she built an cave installation by weaving semi-inflated balloons in a way that would make even Krusty the Clown blush. Designed to obscure the viewer’s vision, the cave is […]

Streets: World Roundup (Feb 27 – March 4)

We have a little catching up to do on our world street mural roundup feature. Leading things off is this sweet rooftop shot of one of Phlegm’s telescopic pieces taken by critical mass. Other artists whose public art caught our eyes the last several weeks include Nychos (Austria), Hyuro (Spain), Aakash Nihalani (New York), Dal (South Africa), Olek (UK), POSE (Hong Kong), Flying Fortress (New York), Zilda (Italy), Icy and Sot (Iran), Escif & Hyuro (Spain), Tellas and Roberto Ciredz (Italy), and Hanksy. See them […]

Viewpoints / Openings: Olek — “I do not expect to be a mother but I do expect to die alone” @ Tony’s Gallery, London

AM was at Tony’s Gallery in Shoreditch on Thursday to see the first UK solo show by Olek (set-up and teaser photos here). The New York-based artist has been making the most of her extended London visit, transforming the ground floor of the gallery into a domestic setting filled with crocheted furniture and other household items. Everything but the entrance area, the ceiling, and a couple of plants has been given a second skin. The combination of brightly-coloured yarn and Olek’s signature camouflage pattern means […]

Setup / Giveaway: Olek — “I do not expect to be a mother but I do expect to die alone” @ Tony’s Gallery, London

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 […]

Basel Week Miami ’11: Jonathan LeVine @ Scope

Taking a closer look at this year’s Scope art fair, we zoom in on New York’s Jonathan LeVine Gallery. They brought some old and some new to show Miami where they’ve come from and some of the new talent that’s coming down the pipeline. We caught WK Interact and Olek presenting fresh works alongside newcomers to the gallery such as Jason DeCaires Taylor and Aakash Nihalani with their thought provoking installations/photography. Check it out after the jump.