Existential Knits

Existential Knits connects the recent revival of needlework with the increase in nihilist, absurd and hedonistic memes shared by Gen-Z. These crafts and memes seem to have gained popularity during the pandemic-induced hiatus, which sparked nostalgia for a simpler past, and a reassessment of material relations and lifestyles in the face of an uncertain future. Inês Pinheiro explored hand knitting as an escapist practice that effectively shuts down an anxiety-ridden hyperreality oversaturated with information. Knitting patterns and grids based on memes have been produced and shared on an online platform for free, inviting people to slow down and physically perform the nihilist memes they reproduce and distribute.