Yarnbomb /yärn bäm/ – Noun: A form of street art where objects in the public eye are cloaked, at least in part, with yarn of any form.
Yarnbombing, also known as yarn storming, or graffitti knitting, is a relatively new, viral street art that's found in cities large and small, all across the world. It is similar to other street art in that it is expressive and may be territorial. It may even include a sort of political commentary, either in the act of reclaiming public spaces or in the colors and messages that are knitted or crocheted. The beautiful difference, however, is that the yarn is easily removed, so it doesn't hurt small business (or school administrators, and others who pay the price of cleaning up after old-fashioned graffiti outpourings).
While technically illegal in some places, it isn't severely prosecuted, since it isn't vandalism. It's been seen on trees, bike racks, benches, and fire hydrants. The phenomenon of "International Yarnbombing Day" now has its own Facebook presence.
The idea is whimsical, and joy-filled. And, with a name like yarn-bombing, our minds turn immediately to peace possibilities. It'd be wonderful if the fiber artists created a collaboration for peace, knitting communities together, building bridges with crochet hooks... Peace bombing... why not?
What are WebDefs?
WebDefs – simple definitions of key terms relating to ministry and healing arts – are a regular feature of NHM Ministrants. Offered (where applicable) in conjunction with select key scriptural passages and analysis, WebDefs can be a useful starting place for exploring a topic of interest.