What defines a vessel? What makes something capable of holding and containing? Four ordinary forms that are often used as vessels in our daily lives defy their function and become an ornamental jacket for a shipping container—a vessel in its own right. Without containing anything, or when misshapen and thrown off its usual orientation—could a vessel still be considered as such?

This yarnbomb installation was created in collaboration with 87 volunteers from the community. Over a period of 1.5 months, yarn was wound, distributed, and then crocheted into 4 modular forms that are functional objects in day-to-day life. With the environmental impact of such a large-scale artwork in mind, all these items were designed so they are not only visually interesting but also able to be distributed to volunteers and sold for fund-raising after the exhibition period.

Photos in above gallery by Colin Wan / Art Outreach

‘Sustainability’ does not necessarily mean using natural or organic yarn; in this case, nylon is perfect as it can withstand harsh outdoor conditions while maintaining its look. This long-lasting property allows people to use it for a long period of time before they wear out, if ever. This focus on making something of good quality so people do not easily replace it is a key in sustainable design. Below are 4 of the functional items volunteers can choose from to make.

The second part of the installation grew over the progress of the exhibition as volunteers worked on another material— repurposed plastic! This included the leftover plastic from bubbletea seals, plastic bags from a hoard destined for the trash and red-and-white tape, to name a few. These materials were sourced from members of the public, which were then cut up then crocheted by another small army of 18 volunteers. While these might not withstand the weather conditions, they have given these plastics destined for the trash can a second life.

This installation has also been featured in Harper’s Bazaar 20th Anniversary issue alongside Singaporean singer Stefanie Sun.