When Diana Weymar stitched the words “I am a Very Stable Genius” on top of a piece of her grandmother’s floral embroidery, she had no idea she would end up making textile history and receive international media coverage. Weymar, an artist and activist, was simply venting her frustration with one of the president’s outlandish statements, but once she posted a photo of her work on Instagram, the “stitch ‘n’ bitch” ball was off and rolling.
Soon enough, friends joined her; strangers contacted her on social media and began sewing up a storm, contributing their own needlework that called out the president on his offenses. The assembled collection got a name: the—wait for it—Tiny Pricks Project.
At first, Weymar thought she’d make one piece a week, but soon she had so many unpresidential texts to work with, she was stitching daily to keep pace. These works stand as a fascinating blend of oppressive and sometimes misogynistic comments and the delicate beauty of “women’s work.”
“The daintiness and integrity of each piece stand in stark contrast to his presidency,” says Weymar.
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Going Bigger
The project found more allies and exposure: Weymar was networked with the politically charged Lingua Franca clothing line, and a collection of Tiny Pricks T-shirts was born. Two gallery exhibits also showed off the work, with one currently at the Lingua Franca space at 382 Bleecker Street in New York City.
Today, the Tiny Pricks Project is composed of more than 3,600 pieces, from more than 1,000 participants globally, and is the largest textile Trump protest ever.
“For me, the stitching was cathartic, and I was interested in creating a record,” Weymar was quoted as saying in Artnet News at the New York exhibition opening. “When I saw Trump’s words in thread on a personal textile, it was different than reading his Twitter account.”Any and all contributions are welcome, says Weymar. “I consider this care-taking of the political record,” she has said.
The goal is to have 5,000 pieces by 2021. “The series will go strong until Trump is out of office,” Weymar says. If you are interested in helping out, click here to learn more.
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