Recent necrology, March 2012

A list of notable people who have died recently. A modest list this month including a radical feminist poet, a great bluegrass star and the composer of songs for much loved movies like Mary Poppins and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

• John Arden, 1930-2012
  Playwright best known for Serjeant Musgrave’s Dance whose works often left audiences baffled
• John House, 1945-2012
  Art historian whose imaginative exhibitions helped propel the Impressionists to cultural superstardom
• Philip Madoc, 1934-2012
  Welsh actor who had roles in Doctor Who, The last of the Mohicans, Dad’s army, and The life and times of David Lloyd George
• Michael O’Meeghan, 1928-2012
  NZ priest, archivist and historian
• Adrienne Rich, 1929-2012
  Radical feminist poet who always saw the personal as political and regarded men as ‘the true enemy’
• Earl Scruggs, 1924-2012
  Banjo player whose three-finger ‘picking’ playing style revolutionised American bluegrass
• Robert B. Sherman, 1925-2012
  Co-writer, with his brother, of Disney’s most famous songs, from Mary Poppins to The Jungle Book

Have wool, will transform the city

I love Yarn bombing or Yarn Storming as it’s also known. It has so many great aspects to it. It is artistic, relaxing and creative. But it can also be confronting, anarchic and has a hint of the non-permanent grafitti artist about it and I think Christchurch could do with more!

What is it? It’s the art of creating knitted or crochet art works for public spaces. It often involves stealth and surprise, with creators putting their works in public spaces under the cover of darkness anonymously to surprise the public. They cover natural forms such as trees and rocks or man made items such a statues, bike stands or lamp posts.

I had a go at mushrooms myself,  but I loved them so much they have ended up in my garden. I have seen creations pop up around Christchurch, pre and post quake. Abandoned buildings have been adorned, as have metal security fencing, statues and empty sections.

There’s plenty of inspiration in books available in the library collection, but if you can make a square of knitting or crochet, or even make the old style finger chains we did as children, you can Yarn bomb.

Knit the City is a British book whose creators adorn statues, bridges, telephone boxes and buildings with knitted animals, pirates and even a whole book’s worth of characters, such as Alice in Wonderland. Yarn Bombing is also an inspirational book, with patterns that even tell you how to knit disguises so you can go about your work without being recognised.

So, why not make this a winter project, get creative and adorn our bare city with colour, humour and a touch of pizazz! If you’re not brave enough to decorate the city, how about a knitted mushroom or three by your letterbox to bring a smile to your neighbours? Perhaps tell us where you have seen some yarn bombing around Christchurch.