Jenny Jones recently exhibited "freckle-pop", a data projection of a VR
knitting-yarn whose skin was the same smooth, freckled pattern as Jenny's
own (not yarn-like in texture at all). She deliberately left breaks and
cracks in the strand, hoping to introduce a lack of seamlessness. But
the cracks and faults, smoothed by that electronic surface, looked as
seductively ONE as ever. What did work as an interruption, however, was
the knitted 'cosies' - little specially-made jackets - that covered the
computer. She made some for mouses in a cyber-cafe. I don't think this
is just a binary irony, bringing the traditional, feminized craft into
conjunction with the high-tech, masculinized technology. The ambiguity
of my positioning with respect to perspective in these culturally-opposed
materials and practices made me laugh with delight and ... recognition?
But where does the space of this pleasure come from? And why was it not
there (for me) in "freckle-pop"? How is it that perspective collapses;
what is lost (Bracha 1.7)? Is it the conjuncture of the promise of
happiness of the knitted jacket, homey and safe, with that of computer
technology ("if reclaiming knitting didn't liberate women, maybe the Net
will")? Is there a "part-object transferential space" somewhere in the
holes in the knitted fabric through which I can glimpse the plastic
computer casing?
The regulars in the cyber-caf didn't like the mouse covers.
Nancy Proctor
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