A short two blocks from where we live, the International Fiber Collaborative has covered a vacant fuel station with 3-foot square tiles of knitting, crochet, woven plastic, and quilting. The station sits at a busy three-way intersection where E. Colvin joins with Notthingham Road.
I walked by there today to grab a couple of photos and find out more about it. The Collaborative pools the tiles from far and wide, then fuses them into a tapestry which drapes over abandoned properties (I think I read that it will clothe 200 vacant fuel stations total)–a series of curious, public, conversation-stirring installations. Locally, they’re hosting an on-site event May 3 (artists’ words, concert, barbecue, etc.), but the post card I picked up today urged those interested to RSVP, so, I doubt this is something we’ll attend. (Plus, May 3 will have to be my birthday this year, since the birthday of record falls on a Monday).
I’m so glad you photographed and blogged this. When it was in operation, it was a gas station that I often stopped at. Then it lay unused for several years; the gas station workers told me that the property owners wanted too much for the lease. So when I drove by yesterday, I was astonished to see this installation going up, and very sorry not to have a camera. From signs posted during the construction, I take this to be a dramatic protest against the petroleum culture.