spy a knitted map of the stars at this new exhibition in melbourne
We used to think that craft, coding and astronomy had absolutely nothing in common (aside from appearing on our list of most-interesting hobbies), but State Library Victoria has proven us wrong. The library’s new exhibition, Handmade Universe: From craft to code and the spaces between, explores how self-led discovery can be a powerful way to connect with the universal themes of place, culture and identity.
The exhibition presents the work of 10 contemporary creatives alongside 68 rare historical items. The stars of the show are two artworks that are inspired by the night sky. The first is Stargazing – a giant knitted map of the stars that represents the 88 constellations used in Western astronomy. The map took Melbourne artist and software engineer Sarah Spencer 15 kilograms of wool and more than 100 hours to knit, and lights up thanks to 842 LED lights.
The exhibition’s second stellar piece is Dharangalk Biik | Star Country – a mural by Wurundjeri artist Mandy Nicholson that wraps the gallery walls in a Wurundjeri universe, and represents the interconnection of the skies, waters and layers of the earth in Wurundjeri culture. If you’d like to learn more about how craft and code connect, pop over to State Library Victoria, or check out the exhibition website.
Handmade Universe: From craft to code and the spaces between runs until February 26th, 2023 at State Library Victoria’s Victoria Gallery.
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