The Crochet Coral Reef is an ever-evolving nature-culture hybrid created by Christine Wertheim and Margaret Wertheim, that resides at the nexus of art, science, mathematics, community practice and climate change.
About
Projects
Art + Science
Created as an artistic response to global warming and oceanic plastic trash, the Crochet Coral Reef also invokes hyperbolic geometry and Darwinian evolution.
Exhibitions
The Crochet Coral Reef has been exhibited at the 58th Venice Biennale (2019), Helsinki Biennial 2021, plus a major retrospective in Germany 2022; and currently on show in 2023/24 at Schlossmuseum Linz, Austria.
Satellite Reefs
The Crochet Reef sends out spawn. 52 community-based Satellite Reefs have been made worldwide. New Satellite Reefs have recently been done at Carnegie Museum of Art (2023) and in Germany (2022), Austria (2023).
Press + Essays
“The sculptures are like force-fields drawing you into their orbit, catalysts for a network of social relations that mimic a reef’s … Gorgeous, absurd and socially productive, these are rare works of art.”
— Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times
“The Crochet Coral Reef risks making real and fabulated things together to open up still-possible times for flourishing … Palpable, polymorphous, terrifying and inspiring stitchery… ”
—Donna Haraway
TED Talk
Margaret Wertheim spoke about the Crochet Coral Reef on the main stage at TED.
Inquiries
If your institution would like to exhibit the Crochet Coral Reef or start your own Satellite Reef, send us an inquiry
