Crochet Coral Reef 🪸

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Welcome to another day of Joy Hour.

Crochet Coral Reef 🪸

Source: Good Good Good and Crochet Coral Reef

Project by Christine Wertheim & Margaret Wertheim of the Institute For Figuring. The Crochet Coral Reef is an artwork responding to climate change and also a global community-based exercise.

At a time when real coral reefs are having a tough time due to rising temperatures and our oceans are facing challenges with plastic pollution, the Crochet Coral Reef steps in with a warm and creative touch. It's a thoughtful way to talk about climate change, taking it one stitch at a time to reflect on our impact on the Earth.

The Crochet Coral Reef project is all about the love and hard work put into crafting, especially by women. It's about countless hours spent stitching together, in a quiet celebration of their effort and creativity.

The project has two strands:

1. Core Collection: crocheted reefs created by Christine and Margaret Wertheim that travels to museums and galleries around the world.

2. Satellite Reefs: the founders work with communities around the world to enable citizens to crochet their own local reefs. Some places are: Chicago, New York, London, Melbourne, Ireland, Latvia, Finland, Germany and the UAE. And more than 20K people have participated in creating those.

Why Coral Reefs are so important?

• Biodiversity Hotspots: Coral reefs are among the most diverse and productive ecosystems on Earth, home to thousands of marine species, including fish, invertebrates, and seaweeds.

• Coastal Protection: They act as natural barriers, protecting coastlines from the full force of storms, waves, and erosion. This protection is invaluable for preserving beaches, coastal habitats, and human communities.

• Research and Education: They offer unique opportunities for scientific research and education, helping us understand natural history, evolutionary biology, and the impacts of climate change on marine ecosystems.

• And more….

Isn’t this beautiful? I wish I can crochet like that and support an amazing project like this

Want to know more about this? Some useful links:

• Margaret Wertheim: The beautiful math of coral - A TED Talk

• Crochet Coral Reef Website

• Want to know more about coral reefs? You can do it here

“I am learning every day to allow the space between where I am and where I want to be to inspire me and not terrify me.”

― Tracee Ellis Ross