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Boston Blatte

Raised in Boston, remade in Sweden

Stockholm tight knit: Soft graffiti

Yarn anarchists will never unravel any society, but they do put a bit of cozy into urban graffiti. Popularly known as yarn bombing it’s wrapped its way around pipes, poles and limbs of Stockholm.

Here’s today’s sighting on St. Eriksgatan taken by a good friend.
yarn bombing.

Dressing up Stockholm is far from new. The most celebrated street art influences is to dress up Järnpojken, the Iron Boy. The first time I saw him in Gamla Stan (Old Town) he had on a little scarf like in this picture.

iron boy

He’s also known at “the boy who is looking at the moon” and is said to be Stockholm’s smallest statue. A work by the artist Liss Eriksson, it was erected in 1967.

Unfortunately there is still much of the traditional tag graffiti littering Stockholm, but perhaps a soft approach to street art can positively influence the taggers.

I wonder if these Swedish grannies in this story would ever yarn bomb a drainpipe. At least some penguins are going to be styling some Swedish design.

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7 responses to “Stockholm tight knit: Soft graffiti”

  1. Monica :o) says:

    I like it!!!

    Report abuse »

  2. Felicity Olsson says:

    It has been going on for more than 10 years now. What purpose does this article serve?

    Report abuse »

  3. Max says:

    Lovely, cozy touch indeed — great photos too! Felicitations to Felicity for coming up with the dumbest comment I’ve seen in a while. What purpose does your question serve, Felicity? Bitter much?

    Report abuse »

  4. Felicity's Little Brother says:

    Hello Folks, I apologize for my older sister’s snide comment. Mum always luved me best and it has made her quite a nasty tart! Come on, sis, move away from the computer. Let’s go outside and play…

    Report abuse »

  5. Felicity Olsson says:

    Ok lillebror, or shall I call you Blatte Bratter? We can go out but only when pappa has finished playing his “usual” nighttime game with you

    Report abuse »

  6. Mikael says:

    “Unfortunately there is still much of the traditional tag graffiti littering Stockholm” Unfortunately? Are you implying that different kinds of street art are in opposition to each other? I do agree with you one point though; we should hope to see the men who tend to dabble in only certain kinds of street art (tags, graffiti) start doing the knitty gritty, and the women who tend to deal with “soft graffiti” are inspired to do things previously reserved only for men!

    Report abuse »

  7. Boston Blatte says:

    @Mikael. I am saying that most tagging graffiti is merely visual littering and plain vandalizing rather than “art” as it’s more like peeing to mark territory. There is some terrific graffiti that functions as art and serves as an expression even if some people would be equally disturbed by it defacing a wall.

    As for “cozy” forms of unsanctioned street art, I can am all for acts of civil disobedience when the intention extends beyond selfish posturing.
    BB

    Report abuse »

 

Blog Update: Boston Blatte

20 May 15:25

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