Yarn-o-polis is a site-specific, public art installation created by Yarn Bombing Los Angeles in collaboration with over 80 knitters and crocheters for the historic Grand Central Market food hall in Downtown Los Angeles at 317 S. Broadway St.
Where is Downtown LA?
Over recent decades, Downtown Los Angeles has experienced many changes and shifts in its residents.
From the artist-occupied warehouses of the 80s to current apartment construction, and the creation of new pedestrian zones along Broadway, the borders and identities of Downtown Los Angeles keep evolving as an experiment in 21st century urbanism. At the same time, certain elements have stayed the same. The garment district, City Hall, Olvera Street, Little Tokyo, Chinatown—these districts and others have been mainstays of downtown Los Angeles and it is impossible to imagine the economies and demographics of Downtown LA without them.
From the artist-occupied warehouses of the 80s to current apartment construction, and the creation of new pedestrian zones along Broadway, the borders and identities of Downtown Los Angeles keep evolving as an experiment in 21st century urbanism. At the same time, certain elements have stayed the same. The garment district, City Hall, Olvera Street, Little Tokyo, Chinatown—these districts and others have been mainstays of downtown Los Angeles and it is impossible to imagine the economies and demographics of Downtown LA without them.
What is Downtown LA?
Yarn Bombing Los Angeles presents a crowdsourced art installation based on the Greek idea of the polis, a coming together of citizens to negotiate the identity of the city. Eight pillars upholding the market are transformed into colorful knitted and crocheted Grecian columns, each depicting images culled from the various districts of Downtown Los Angeles.
Some images are iconographic and some focus on architectural details, creating a representation of Downtown Los Angeles that is at once familiar and undiscovered.
Some images are iconographic and some focus on architectural details, creating a representation of Downtown Los Angeles that is at once familiar and undiscovered.
Who is Downtown LA?
In addition to the visual iconography representing the city, Yarn Bombing Los Angeles engaged various Downtown Los Angeles stakeholders in the fabrication of the installation. Yarn Bombing Los Angeles issued an international call for pieces to contribute to the market installation, and the pieces were sewn together at onsite workshops at Grand Central Market and other locations across Los Angeles.
Some of the creators of the pieces come from as far as Germany, others as near as Skid Row. The hands involved in constructing the installation create an alternate map of Downtown Los Angeles - a map of the makers that exist in Downtown Los Angeles. They speak to Downtown Los Angeles’ significance as a site of production, and that production being supported by an intricate web of women’s work.
Some of the creators of the pieces come from as far as Germany, others as near as Skid Row. The hands involved in constructing the installation create an alternate map of Downtown Los Angeles - a map of the makers that exist in Downtown Los Angeles. They speak to Downtown Los Angeles’ significance as a site of production, and that production being supported by an intricate web of women’s work.
What's in an Icon?
Icons represent our understanding of a place as much as they obscure it. For every noteworthy icon, there’s an unnamed street corner or alleyway worth exploring.
See if you can identify the icons. Let us know which icon pictured (or not!) represents your experience of Downtown LA #YBLAGCM.
See if you can identify the icons. Let us know which icon pictured (or not!) represents your experience of Downtown LA #YBLAGCM.
Contributors
Carolina Alvarez • Angelus Plaza Senior Center Knitting Group • Renaissance Cornela Austin • Amy Bauer • Chris Bautista • Lisa Bereczky •
Bobbi Bergemann • Beata Bernina • Elizabeth Blankenship • Rieke Blumen • Luisa Bottari • Judy Brill • MarySue Carl • Brook Carlson • Jean
Choate • Rebecca Clemmer • Olivia Collins • Shay Cunliffe • Peter Denton • Susana Ethial • Jen Fahy • Esther Finney • Linda Firenze • Liz Flynn • Judy Gardner • Mark and PresleyGaulthier • Nikki Gee • Karen Giles • Cindy Gilkey • Paloma Gonzalez • Clara Gresham • Katherine Guevarra • Angela Hackner • Andy Hadwick • Alyssa Hargrave • Jessica Hernandez • Bianca Hezekiah • Heather Hoggan • Janet Hori • Jenny Huffman • Vivian Hur • Francesca Innocenti • Joya • Nina Kin • Karen Kinney • Andrea Kline • Erin Korda • Julie Kornblum • Kristin Kumamoto • Jenny Kysor • Nancy Lam • Jane Laughlin • Cynthia Lee • Helen Liao • Stella Liguton • Nien-Hoa Lu • Nga Luu • Alex Madero • Karen Mar • Dorothy Martinez • Amalia Merino • Heather Muise • Alan Nakagawa • April Newman • Susie Nicholson • Christine Nishimuta • Kathy O’Toole • Janice Ogata • Yaeko Oki • Peihan Orestes • David Orozco • Thea Orozco • Carol Parker • Suzanne Perala • Stephanie Petagno • Margaret Phillips • Domenica Piumetti • Frederick Portillo • Monette Punzalan • Judy Richards • Penny Richards • Geri Rifredi • John Rior • Glenid Rivera • Liz Robison • Dolores Robles • Connie Rohman • Jamie Rose • Ilonka Rottgers • Kat Ruhlman • Lena Sands • Diane Schmidt • Stephanie Schroeder • Jennifer Scott • Deborah Silver • Hannah Sims • Kathleen Smith • Allie Socki • Ulrike Speed • Meriel Stern • Ann Storc • Nelson Stuard • Lisa Sullivan • Tan • Ampaipan Tan • Frances Talbott-White • Melissa Tenney • Maggie Teschler • Edna Torres • Christine Tucker • Kathryn Vercillo • Bonnie Vilchez • Belinda Vong • Cathrine Wall • Debbe, Watanabe • Natalie Welts • West Flamingo Yarnstormers • Hannah Wilde • Kirsten Winkel • Lilly Wood • Darlyn Susan Yee • Joni Yung • Carol Zou
Bobbi Bergemann • Beata Bernina • Elizabeth Blankenship • Rieke Blumen • Luisa Bottari • Judy Brill • MarySue Carl • Brook Carlson • Jean
Choate • Rebecca Clemmer • Olivia Collins • Shay Cunliffe • Peter Denton • Susana Ethial • Jen Fahy • Esther Finney • Linda Firenze • Liz Flynn • Judy Gardner • Mark and PresleyGaulthier • Nikki Gee • Karen Giles • Cindy Gilkey • Paloma Gonzalez • Clara Gresham • Katherine Guevarra • Angela Hackner • Andy Hadwick • Alyssa Hargrave • Jessica Hernandez • Bianca Hezekiah • Heather Hoggan • Janet Hori • Jenny Huffman • Vivian Hur • Francesca Innocenti • Joya • Nina Kin • Karen Kinney • Andrea Kline • Erin Korda • Julie Kornblum • Kristin Kumamoto • Jenny Kysor • Nancy Lam • Jane Laughlin • Cynthia Lee • Helen Liao • Stella Liguton • Nien-Hoa Lu • Nga Luu • Alex Madero • Karen Mar • Dorothy Martinez • Amalia Merino • Heather Muise • Alan Nakagawa • April Newman • Susie Nicholson • Christine Nishimuta • Kathy O’Toole • Janice Ogata • Yaeko Oki • Peihan Orestes • David Orozco • Thea Orozco • Carol Parker • Suzanne Perala • Stephanie Petagno • Margaret Phillips • Domenica Piumetti • Frederick Portillo • Monette Punzalan • Judy Richards • Penny Richards • Geri Rifredi • John Rior • Glenid Rivera • Liz Robison • Dolores Robles • Connie Rohman • Jamie Rose • Ilonka Rottgers • Kat Ruhlman • Lena Sands • Diane Schmidt • Stephanie Schroeder • Jennifer Scott • Deborah Silver • Hannah Sims • Kathleen Smith • Allie Socki • Ulrike Speed • Meriel Stern • Ann Storc • Nelson Stuard • Lisa Sullivan • Tan • Ampaipan Tan • Frances Talbott-White • Melissa Tenney • Maggie Teschler • Edna Torres • Christine Tucker • Kathryn Vercillo • Bonnie Vilchez • Belinda Vong • Cathrine Wall • Debbe, Watanabe • Natalie Welts • West Flamingo Yarnstormers • Hannah Wilde • Kirsten Winkel • Lilly Wood • Darlyn Susan Yee • Joni Yung • Carol Zou
Collaborators
Angelus Plaza Senior Center • Braille Institute • Downtown Women's Center • Central Public Library • Gather LA • Sewing Rebellion