Portrait knitting as a performance in public space had been a crucial part of my artistic work for years.

At Vienna, Buskers Bern, Ars Electronica Linz or Chur durchwühlen I had been offering my  knitting services to the public, with the help of two chairs, a table and a poster.

As a slightly disturbing element in the streets of various cities I met people, had long or short discussions, in order to get to know those, whose portraits I`ve created as an expression of their personalities. After couple of hours, when my work was done, I asked them to wear the portrait-masks, which build an entity with the face. I took several photos of them and gave them the portrait as a present. But in exchange I asked them to make me a present, too. This process of social exchange I enjoyed a lot. Some of them found it rather disturbing and - being used to pay for everything - wanted to give me some money, which I refused. Mostly I received beautiful presents with strong personal touch: a huge box of freshly made cantuccini, a stone from the Croatian coast, connected to the family history of the young man I made the portrait of, an adapter I urgently needed for my laptop, a marvelous cake from the best pastry shop of the city, and so on. Some of the presents I received after my journey home, in a package sent by post.

2013 I´ve been invited by Peter Trachsel / Hasena & Theater Chur to join "Chur durchwühlen", a series of performances in the capital of canton Graubünden, which started October 2012 and ended May 2013.  I had the pleasure to knit for one whole day in the inner city, at Postgasse.

Photos: Peter Trachsel / Hasena

2013 I´ve also been invited to participate at Ars Electronica in Linz / Austria. I got a container from the festival, where I had been knitting and discussing for 5 days, 10 hours a day. I had several youngsters & kids sitting in my container for hours or for days. Some of them started to knit their own portrait, some of them let me knit, while enjoying our company. I met beautiful people, received stunning presents for my portraits and left Linz after a week with pain in my arms & joy in my heart.

Photos: Ars Electronica