Photo: Natasha Edwards

THE URCHINS IN AUSTRALIA

FABRICATION & INSTALLATION

2018 Commonwealth Games, Festival 2018

Gold Coast, Australia

Design

Jin Choi and Thomas Shine


Curator

Swell Sculpture


Engineer

Om Engineering


Steel Fabrication

Modern Metal Solutions, Concentric Fabrication


Installation

Swell Sculpture, Theatre Safe Australia

Maclift Crane Services


Special Thanks to 

The City of Gold Coast

Kate Fell, Creative Director, Festival 2018

Julianne Pierce, Producer,  Festival 2018 

Natasha Edwards and Ruth Della , Swell Sculpture

Crocheters

Photo Credit: (from top)

Jeanene Hyles, Kelli Rogers‎, Merran Tippett, Leah King

Jin Choi

Barbara Argent

Sandra Bale

Sharon Barrett

Leighann Behrns

Rachael Birks

Vicki Browning

Amanda Buckley

Ann Bui

Shona Campbell

Jennifer Campbell

Justine Casey

Kim Cherie

Shannon Close

Melissa Coles

Judy Crosswell

Carlene Douglass

Yiota Drakos

Lizi Drysdale

Kerry Egan

Michelle Ehmann

Laura Fleming

Camellia Ford

Karen Greaves

Rose Grosser

Tenille Hibberd

Tracey Hopper

Jeanene Hyles

Kate Jefferay

Wendy Kammin

Kay Kennard

Leah King

Kim Lambert

Kay Lawrence

Elva Layton

Jacobi Leaver

Carol Manager

Sarah Hudson

The design of motifs started with a figure/ground study of natural elements reconstructed to associate culturally symbolic elements.  Once the visual study was complete, Jin Choi then used it to form the basis of the crochet pattern.  Began with the computer generated geometric diagrams, she slowly crocheted  each motif, adjusting the type and number of stitches and the paths, keeping the original concept intact.   


Once each motif was completed, she wrote detailed instruction and created a technical pattern for all of the volunteer crocheters to follow.  Each of  prototype motifs were duplicated by the other crocheters who made a total of 100 motifs.  Each motif is hand crocheted and consists of a single, continuous yarn, which is broken only for changing spools.

Prudence Mapstone

Annette Markey

Alison Martin

Natalie Maurer

Rene McKay

Deb Mclachlan

Narelle Mercer

Narelle Mitchell

Joanne Moore

Judy-ann Moule

Treena Muir

Diane Newkirk

Katinka Niemeijer

Kerri OConnell

Michelle Paterson

Robyn Penfold

Carryn Pimm

Lisa Rafferty

Shawtima Rakovsky

Kelli Rogers

Josephine Romeo

Deborah Rossow

Jenny Sanzaro-Nishimura

Simone Seeger

Lucy Silveira-Marquez

Tricia Smout

Karen Stevens

Amber Stevenson

Beverley Streater

Kimberley Sweeney

Merran Tippett

Lena Tisdall

Herta Vasiloudis

Julie Watson

Aida Whyte

Sharon Wicking

Cass Zervos

Margaret Denman

Assembly

Jin Choi

Thomas Shine

Edward Shine

Suzi Lucas

Adrienne Kenafake

Clayton Thompson

Tessa Bergan

Kate Clarke

Dev Lengjel

Dion Parker

Jean Anderson

Cathy Beard

Nicky Bennett

Judith Blain

Ann Bui

Lurline Campbell

Trish Coombes

June Cremin

Rebecca Cunningham

Ruth Della

Natasha Edwards

Anne Esposito

Angela Fisher

Camellia Ford

Rachel Ford

Sarah Hudson

Catherine Hyland

Whitney Jakubus

Wendy Kammin

Adrienne Kenafake

Alison Martin

Caelyn Martin

Rene McKay

Julie Merryfull

Meryl Mollross

Treena Muir

Bobby Napier

Kerry O'Connell

Lisa Rafferty

Sarah Rawding

Ann Rowding

V Roche

Simone Seeger

Photo Credit:

Meryl Mollross

Ruth Della

Mellissa Coles

Camelia Ford

As the Lace motifs were completed, they were assembled on the floor of a gallery space in Benowa, near to the site.  Many crocheters and local volunteers worked together to join the completed lace pieces.  Each piece was joined into large segments, then each segment joined to create the complete skin of the Urchin.

Part of the beauty of the Urchins comes from the illusion of levitation. Achieving this illusion required the use of modern high strength fibers, effective lighting scheme and a structural framing capable of holding the heavy lace membrane and yet visually minimal. Thomas Shine engineered the structural framing system that is light-weight and collapsable, but rigid and easy to assemble.  He also devised the simple and time saving method of installation to accommodate the tight construction schedule and efficient lighting scheme.


Special Thanks to  Artist Suzi Lucas and Sculptor’s Society

Old craft brought back and elevated into fine art.  

Skills learned from generations before connected us with the memories from the past and also with the people from the area whom we have never known.

Working with people who share  a single goal to achieve the same vision under a tight schedule brought people together, creating incredible bonds through support, encouragement and care for each other.  The shared web page dedicated to the volunteers participating in the project reveals surviving the crisis of material shortage, urgent meet-ups for help, brilliant solutions for complicated patterns, the appreciation and support they received from their families, their pride from achieving something bigger than life and precious laughter shared with everyone.  Truly, it generated a sense of community, empowering everyone involved.  The process of the formation of art became significant as the creative journey or pure expression itself.  Each element is identifiable and legible as they were created by different individuals, but contributing to the whole under a coherent creative direction.

Installation

Jin Choi

Thomas Shine

Ruth Della

Natasha Edwards

Adrienne Kenafake

Clayton Thompson

Dev Lengjel

Dion Parker

Photo Credit:

Natasha Edwards 

Julie Merryfull

Jin Choi

Special Thanks to  

Artists 

Tessa Bergan

Adrienne Kenafake

Clayton Thompson 

Dion Parker

If you would like to participate

in our future crochet projects,

please send us an email to:

 skim [at] choishine.com

The design and images of The Urchins  are copyright 2017, Choi+Shine Architects and may not be used without written permission. 

“The Urchins”  is a trademark of Choi+Shine Architects.

The images and design  copyright 2016 - 2024   Choi+Shine Architects, LLC.  All rights reserved. 

The designs, artworks and images on this page are subject to copyright, patent and/or trademark protection.

Contact:  Choi+Shine Architects for written permission for image use.

The images and design  copyright 2018-2022 Choi+Shine Architects, LLC.  All rights reserved. 


Contact:  Choi+Shine Architects for written permission for image use.

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