42. Wollerige koraalriwwe

Huidiglik by die Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in Washing DC is daar 'n reuse gehekelde koraalrif. Ja, 'n koraalrif.

Dis die Hyperbolic Coral Reef Project:

The Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef is a woolly celebration of the intersection of higher geometry and feminine handicraft, and a testimony to the disappearing wonders of the marine world.

The inspiration for making crochet reef forms begins with the technique of "hyperbolic crochet" discovered in 1997 by Cornell University mathematician Dr. Daina Taimina. The Wertheim sisters adopted Dr Taimina's techniques and elaborated upon them to develop a whole taxonomy of reef-life forms. Loopy "kelps", fringed "anemones", crenelated "sea slugs", and curlicued "corals" have all been modeled with these methods. The basic process for making these forms is a simple pattern or algorithm, which on its own produces a mathematically pure shape, but by varying or mutating this algorithm, endless variations and permutations of shape and form can be produced. The Crochet Reef project thus becomes an on-going evolutionary experiment in which the worldwide community of Reefers brings into being an ever-evolving crochet "tree of life."

Die 4000 individuele stukke hekelwerk is deur 800 mense van reg oor die wêreld gehekel. In verskeie lande was daar ook sateliet groepe, waar elke stad sy eie mini koraalrif gehekel het - onder andere in Woodstock, Suid-Afrika en ook hier in Engeland. Wat my egter fassineer, is hoe verskriklik, amazingly mooi dit is! As ek in 2008 al gehekel het (dis toe die Britse sateliet groep hulle ding gedoen het) sou ek beslis wou saam hekel!

Koraalriwwe is besig om uit te bleik en te sterf:

Vir meer inligting oor die projek kan jy hul website besoek. Kom ons hou duim vas die uitstalling maak eendag weer 'n draai in Engeland en/of Suid-Afrika, en dat daar genoeg bewustheid geskep is om die koraalriwwe van die wêreld te red!