Going Undercover at the Smithsonian
Sep. 20th, 2010 03:49 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
acmespaceshipLadies and gentlemen, today's briefing concerns a Silly Project.
Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to turn an unlikely pile of stuff from the back of the closet into an exhibit at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History. And, in so doing, strike a blow for the greater glory of crocheted hallucigenias everywhere. As always, should you be killed or turned into a cat toy during the course of this mission, the secretary will disavow all knowledge of your whereabouts.
We begin with a quick background summary. As you may know, mathematicians are using crochet to model hyperbolic non-euclidean geometry. These same models are further employed as artistic representations of the mathematical structures underlying the growth pattern of various coral species. A crocheted coral reef has been making the rounds of museums and exhibit spaces around the country, often accompanied by adjunct coral installations produced by local fiber artisans. Those of you who require further briefing on this topic should begin researching here.
In mid-August, this agent was informed that a new reef is being constructed for display at the NMNH. The deadline for contributions was August 30, which has been met using old inventory. Agent Falstaff wishes to say, for the record, "Yarn!? You call this yarn?"
Upon inquiry, this agent learned that the museum was in particular looking for representations of bleached coral, as a section of the exhibit will be devoted to showing the effects of a coral die-off. A number of bleached coral pieces were created. I call your attention to the small white piece at the front of this photograph:
That is Agent Phelps. None other than a crocheted hallucigenia. Phelps has shed his toothpick spines in order to go undercover as a bleached coral. Needless to say, this information should be shared on a need-to-know basis only.
Phelps and his accompanying coral pieces should have arrived at the NMNH by now, having traveled by parcel post. Informants in D.C. will be communicating via Ravelry. The exhibit web site is here. Further information about the status of this mission will be made available as we receive it. Good luck, Jim.
Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to turn an unlikely pile of stuff from the back of the closet into an exhibit at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History. And, in so doing, strike a blow for the greater glory of crocheted hallucigenias everywhere. As always, should you be killed or turned into a cat toy during the course of this mission, the secretary will disavow all knowledge of your whereabouts.
We begin with a quick background summary. As you may know, mathematicians are using crochet to model hyperbolic non-euclidean geometry. These same models are further employed as artistic representations of the mathematical structures underlying the growth pattern of various coral species. A crocheted coral reef has been making the rounds of museums and exhibit spaces around the country, often accompanied by adjunct coral installations produced by local fiber artisans. Those of you who require further briefing on this topic should begin researching here.
In mid-August, this agent was informed that a new reef is being constructed for display at the NMNH. The deadline for contributions was August 30, which has been met using old inventory. Agent Falstaff wishes to say, for the record, "Yarn!? You call this yarn?"
Upon inquiry, this agent learned that the museum was in particular looking for representations of bleached coral, as a section of the exhibit will be devoted to showing the effects of a coral die-off. A number of bleached coral pieces were created. I call your attention to the small white piece at the front of this photograph:
That is Agent Phelps. None other than a crocheted hallucigenia. Phelps has shed his toothpick spines in order to go undercover as a bleached coral. Needless to say, this information should be shared on a need-to-know basis only.
Phelps and his accompanying coral pieces should have arrived at the NMNH by now, having traveled by parcel post. Informants in D.C. will be communicating via Ravelry. The exhibit web site is here. Further information about the status of this mission will be made available as we receive it. Good luck, Jim.
no subject
Date: 2010-09-21 02:35 am (UTC)I'd congratulate you, but then you'd have to kill me.