One Friday Letter

I've only got one Friday letter today, but I think it's a good one. The situation appealed to me for many reasons - there was a true disparity; the resolution involved knitting; the knitters drew attention to the problem without violence or vandalism, and the Danish government responded with a meaningful amount of money to address the issue. Read this article and see what you think. 

Dear Danish Knitters, 

Way to go! I love that Louise Moerup first discussed why there weren't more statues of real women with her son on the way to school, and even better, then she did something unique and creative. She knit a lovely halter dress for a naked Venus statue, but this was not because she was disturbed by nudity. “It wasn’t really the nudity that made me want to knit her dress,” Moerup said, “but the absence of women who are remembered for their achievements. Knitting the dress was my humorous way to make people look twice and notice what’s missing.” 

I love that other knitters have joined in making knitwear for statues, and I'm impressed by the caliber of these garments. 

 

 

Author Maren Uthaug said. “We don’t want the statues removed, and we don’t really want to cover them up. But we can’t make a point by doing something with historical statues — because they are not there.”

 

 

I really love that the Danish government saw and heard the knitters and announced that it was setting aside $1.5 million to fund public artworks commemorating historically significant women. 

 

“If my little knitted intervention helped nudge the conversation forward,” Moreup said, “I’m glad about that.” Louise, you and other Danish knitters have made my week, and I raise my knitting needles to you and your clever knitting. Well done!

 

Joining you in admiration,

A Fellow Knitter (who has not yet clothed a statue)

 

I hope your weekend is a good one and that your own making involves a bit of humor and cleverness!