As of January 27, 2021 Poland has had one of the Europe’s most restrictive abortion laws. This recent legislation based on a ruling by the Constitutional Tribunal severely restricts women’s access to public health and therefore directly harms women living in Poland. Riots and protests broke out in the capital city, Warsaw, where thousands of women have been protesting this inhumane court ruling. Other countries and human right organisations tried to intervene and oppose this. However, the far-right ruling government, the Church and religion still play a big part in the decision making process in Poland meaning this decision wasn’t reversible. Women’s rights are not being taken seriously and are ignored by a deeply misogynistic government.

The craft of crocheting has been distributed from mother to daughter for many years in Poland and other, mainly Eastern European, countries. Generations of women meeting up in homes and towns and village halls to pass on the craft has become a part of the tradition and women’s culture in Poland. It’s been mostly used to create domestic decorations such as tablecloths, blankets, bedding and clothing, usually floral, animal, and/or geometric motifs. The crochet craft pieces would be placed around a house making it feel warm and ‘homely’ and it almost symbolises that a woman is taking care of her household. As of recently, this type of craft is also being used as a form of activism, or, so called, craftivism. Artists like Betsy Greer or Olek (Agata Oleksiak) started using crocheting as an alternative practice and a tool to express their views and reflect on social reality.

My project explores the medium of crocheting as a traditional feminine craft that was passed on in my family for many generations. I use crocheting as a form of craftivism to react to the tragic events around banning abortion in Poland and the inhumane treatment and commentary on women’s rights by the government. Yarn is delicate and fragile to work with, however, when used in this form it becomes a strong and powerful sculptural material that evokes feelings. My crochet piece is based on traditional domestic designs that are made by Polish women; however, I am incorporating symbols used by the activists and protestors as the pattern. Turning the floral motifs into lightning symbols, incorporating the shape of Poland on the piece, which overall represents a female body shape, it becomes a powerful tool for turning a feminine craft into a piece of activism against wrongful treatment of women. The act of distributing craft skills between generations, which first started as a hobby, today can be used to help amplify the voices of the oppressed, either represented in the work itself or shared with women while learning the craft, particularly as it is performed by women themselves.