Massive Crochet Canopy Provides Color and Shade in Hot Spanish Town

modern met août 19, 2021

Massive Crochet Canopy Provides Color and Shade in Hot Spanish Town

With crafting becoming more and more popular, contemporary artists from around the world are exploring the creative possibilities of age-old traditions. Recently, Spanish crochet teacher Eva Pacheco showed that textiles can do more than keep you warm in the winter. She and her students created a colossal canopy made up of dozens of crocheted squares.

This handmade awning is installed in the main shopping corridor in the Southern Spanish town of Alhaurín de la Torre, in Malaga. The project began three years ago after the city council's Department of the Environment sought a more sustainable way to shade the high-traffic pedestrian area in the summer. Since then, Pacheco and her students have continued adding to their creation—using recycled fabric in a variety of vibrant colors—so that it now covers almost 500 square meters (5, 381 square feet).

As people walk underneath the ongoing masterpiece, they can admire a variety of different patterns, including geometric, floral, and abstract. Not only does this covering provide shade for shoppers, but it also decorates the street with whimsical art.