100% Birgitta: The fine art of revolutionary crochet

100% Birgitta: The fine art of revolutionary crochet

The Center of Southwest Studies at Fort Lewis College exhibits the work of internationally recognized fiber artist and costume designer, Birgitta Bjerke, with the new exhibition 100% Birgitta: The Fine Art of Revolutionary Crochet. Bjerke’s work spans 1967 – 2008, stitching together her personal stories of family, friends, love and the socio-cultural attitudes of the times.

The exhibit runs Sunday, Feb. 8 through Aug. 2, 2009, at the Center of Southwest Studies Gallery. An opening reception will be held on Feb. 8 at 1 p.m.

Using a variety of techniques, such as crochet, embroidery and knitting, Bjerke creates her pieces from the center outward. Bright colors and creative patterns turn bedspreads, dresses and even bikinis into works of art.

Bjerke’s associations with counter-culture giants included Bob Weir of The Grateful Dead, Roger Daltrey of The Who, Eric Clapton and Jamaican musician Jimmy Cliff, which inspired masterful, often psychedelic creations of colorful wall-hangings, Mandela crocheted coats, and even album covers.

Bjerke’s pieces were inspired by her times, including the sixties and seventies where free expression abounded. According to Bjerke, “Joy and spontaneity is in everything and everyone but is often suppressed behind convention and inherited, unquestioned life patterns. When the obvious right to INDIVIDUALITY becomes ‘unfashionable,’ life simply becomes a bore.”

Many of her fashions have an obvious, but playful, sexuality. Other works have direct political meaning including “Sunrise, Sunset”, a piece that reflects her feelings about the Vietnam War, and “The Queen”, a surreal homage to Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation.

Bjerke’s move to the Southwest U.S. in the 1980s influenced her most recent work. Western motifs and the colors of her New Mexico surroundings resulted in sweaters and wall-hangings with the unmistakable mark of the geographical and cultural aspects found in the Southwest. It was here that Bjerke made a name for herself in costume design for films on location in the region, including “Paris, Texas” (1984), “Dances with Wolves” (1990) and “Deadman” (1996).

It is the mission of the Center of Southwest Studies at Fort Lewis College to connect individuals and communities with opportunities to explore, study, and experience the Southwest’s dynamic heritage. For more information about the Center of Southwest Studies, contact Julie Tapley-Booth, event coordinator and office manager, at (970) 247-7456 or tapleybooth_j@fortlewis.edu.