Olek, a street artist known for her epic crochet creations, last took California after she yarn bombed an Oakland billboard in 2013. Recently, Olek has returned to the West Coast state, opening her first solo exhibition, entitled "I Haven't a Single Explorer on My Planet," at San Francisco's White Walls Project Space on February 8.
Freedom plays a large role in Olek's latest show. "No one knows what freedoms means until it is taken away. When you feel trapped, you can either sink low or dream big"—this sentiment echoed through Olek's mind when she began dreaming up and working on her yarn creations for the show.
"I Haven't a Single Explorer on My Planet" comprises a huge, multi-hued installation and a crocheted boat, which Olek knitted to express her ideas on freedom. Though the boat is stunning, it does indeed give off a feeling of restriction and claustrophobia when displayed against the backdrop of endless yarn—which is precisely why Olek's latest show is so brilliant. The boat, though pretty, embodies a more political idea that society will remain imprisoned until its people progress.
"I Haven't a Single Explorer on My Planet" is on view from Feb. 8 to March 8.
RELATED: Oleks Creates the First Crocheted Billboard Ever in California
RELATED: Olek's Year in Yarn Is a Diary of a Mad Knitter
