FAQs - Journal 4 Gaza
What is the project concept?
I want to create an art installation to commemorate the names of as many people as possible who have died in Gaza in the current war.
What are the details of the project?
The art installation is a huge fiber arts journal, with at least 125 'pages' measuring 150cm x 80cm each.
The pages will be made of crochet and knitting.
Each page will represent 200 people.
I will be using different colored yarns to represent age and sex.
At the moment, I have approximately 7000 names, ages, and sex of people who died up to 26 October 2023.
I will add the names of the people as handwritten tags attached to a Velcro strip which I can attach to each page.
Once the exhibition is over, the journal will be dismantled and the pages will become blankets for children which I intend to send to Gaza. Failing that, I would try to send them to refugee camps in Palestine, Syria or Lebanon.
Currently (as of 1 Feb 2024) I have divided the journal into chapters.
Book One: 33 pages with the detailed ages and names of approx. 7000 people who have been killed from 7 Oct to 26 Oct 2024.
Book Two: 92 pages, these will represent two age groups 0 - 17 as children and 18 and above as adults. Regrettably I don't have names as of this moment.
Book Three: at the moment an unknown number of pages which will include or be art from Palestinians living in Gaza. I might print their art on large pieces of canvas - if I can.
Front and back covers: one pages each to represent the ongoing destruction.
The pages will be made of crochet and knitting.
Each page will represent 200 people.
I will be using different colored yarns to represent age and sex.
At the moment, I have approximately 7000 names, ages, and sex of people who died up to 26 October 2023.
I will add the names of the people as handwritten tags attached to a Velcro strip which I can attach to each page.
Once the exhibition is over, the journal will be dismantled and the pages will become blankets for children which I intend to send to Gaza. Failing that, I would try to send them to refugee camps in Palestine, Syria or Lebanon.
Currently (as of 1 Feb 2024) I have divided the journal into chapters.
Book One: 33 pages with the detailed ages and names of approx. 7000 people who have been killed from 7 Oct to 26 Oct 2024.
Book Two: 92 pages, these will represent two age groups 0 - 17 as children and 18 and above as adults. Regrettably I don't have names as of this moment.
Book Three: at the moment an unknown number of pages which will include or be art from Palestinians living in Gaza. I might print their art on large pieces of canvas - if I can.
Front and back covers: one pages each to represent the ongoing destruction.
what pattern should i use?
Whatever you like. I just need you to stick to the size and the color codes I assign to each knitter or crocheter
what type of yarn should i use?
- I have been informed that the best yarn to use to create blankets for children living in camps is PURE WOOL due to fire risk. HOWEVER, if you don't have wool in your stash or if you can't go out and buy wool, please contribute anyway with whatever you have already in your stash or can afford - BUT let me know that your page/blanket is not wool and what yarn/mix you used. I will find another way for these pages/blankets to be useful in supporting Gaza.
- Make sure the colors align with the color coding I've assigned to each age group and gender.
- Use any thickness you want or can. You can also join two strands of yarn to make it thicker.
- You can combine tones of the same colour range within the page you create.
- Remember to keep 100cm of each strand in order for me to be able to be able to use it in the code chart.
- Bear in mind that once the exhibition is over, the art installation will be dismantled and the pages will become blankets for children.
what do you need from participants?
I need participants to knit or crochet pages.
I would also love any help with social media, spreading the word, project management.
I would also love any help with social media, spreading the word, project management.
what is the project timeframe?
I am just now thinking about timeframe, as I'm only just starting to gather the team and participants to make this happen.
For Book One (see details of the project above) or phase one, I need 33 pages done by 1st March. You can sign up here against the page(s) you can create.
You do not have to send me the pages yet, as the project is still ongoing and we will enter phase two, which you might want to contribute to also.
For Book One (see details of the project above) or phase one, I need 33 pages done by 1st March. You can sign up here against the page(s) you can create.
You do not have to send me the pages yet, as the project is still ongoing and we will enter phase two, which you might want to contribute to also.
where will the exhibition be held?
Again, I'm still in the planning phase. I'm hoping to do one exhibition in Spain and one in London. I'm reaching out to venues and galleries.
transparency
Because this is a political project, should I not find a venue for any reason, any 'pages' completed will be sent as blankets to needy children in Palestine, Lebanon, Syria or elsewhere as becomes possible, or if they are not pure wool, I will find another way to use them to support Gaza.
Can i create a page with a group of friends?
Yes! Please do. Find a group of like-minded people who would love to support and contribute to this project and work together by creating pieces that can be joined together to form one page 150cm x 80cm.
- Make sure to register your group in the excel sheet I created for this purpose here.
- Select the color/page you want to work on.
- Make sure you all work on the same colour tone.
- Please attach all the pieces together (sewing or crochet or other strong means) before you consider it complete.
Where do I ship the page/blanket i've finished
First of all, THANK YOU! I appreciate your work and your time and your support.
Once finished, and if you're not making another page/blanket, please send it to my address in Spain:
Casa Amal, Partida La Empedrola R2, Calpe 03170, Alicante, Spain.
Once finished, and if you're not making another page/blanket, please send it to my address in Spain:
Casa Amal, Partida La Empedrola R2, Calpe 03170, Alicante, Spain.
