Strich und Faden Flyer - Front

Flyer for "Strich und Faden", a group show at Kunstraum Richard Sorge, in Berlin-Friedrichshain. (Photo courtesy Cross stitch ninja)

The photo shows one of the exhibits; knitted dog poo, lovingly made by Swedish craftivist artist Cross stitch ninja who specializes in cross stitch and knitting.

The international Berlin art show "Strich und Faden" offers subversive travesties of folk-art; documentations of contemporary tribal fashion codes; and works that thematize regionalism, gender, and sexuality in innovative and humorous ways.

The word "Strich" means street prostitution, or a line in a drawing. The folksy German expression "nach Strich und Faden" however, has its origin in the craft of weaving, where it was used when testing the cloth's quality. It means to do something thoroughly, with great artistry and precision, or according to the rules of an art or craft. In contemporary language it has gained connotations of trickery, deceit and travesty.

Travesty (in the sense of deceit and role playing) is a device present in many works in this show, either as an artistic attitude, or as a subject matter. It is often used by gay or woman artists to subvert the traditions of Art & Crafts and nationalism. While often humorous, works like these nonetheless make serious and inspired statements about gender, race, regionalism and sexuality.

Artists: Ari Versluis & Ellie Uyttenbroek/Exactitudes (Netherlands), Astrid Küver (Germany), Betty Stürmer (Germany), Cross stitch ninja (Sweden), Jn.Ulrick Désert (Germany/USA), Johanna Schweizer (Netherlands), Kathrin Schädlich (Portugal), Mumbreeze (Kinya and Kao Hanada) (USA), René Schmalschläger (Netherlands), Sharon Pazner (Israel).