About the Crochet Coral Reef The Crochet Coral Reef is project created by sisters Christine Wertheim and Margaret Wertheim of the Institute For Figuring. Residing at the intersection of mathematics, marine biology, handicraft, and community art practice, the project responds to the environmental crisis of global warming and the escalating problem of oceanic plastic trash by highlighting not only the damage humans do to earth’s ecology, but also our power for positive action. The Wertheims’ Crochet Coral Reef collection has been exhibited worldwide, including at the 2019 Venice Biennale, Andy Warhol Museum (Pittsburgh), Hayward Gallery (London), Science Gallery (Dublin), and the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History (Washington, DC). The project also encompasses a community-art program in which more than 20,000 people around the world have participated in making 50 locally based Satellite Reefs—in New York, Chicago, Melbourne, Ireland, Latvia, UAE, and elsewhere. The Saratoga Springs Satellite Reef on display here is the latest addition to this ever-evolving wooly archipelago. About the Artists Margaret Wertheim is a science writer, artist, and author of books on the cultural history of physics. Christine Wertheim is an experimental poet, performer, artist, and writer, and former faculty member at the California Institute of the Arts. Margaret and Christine conduct the Crochet Coral Reef project through their Los Angeles–based practice, the Institute For Figuring, which is dedicated to “the poetic dimensions of science and mathematics.” The IFF is at once an art endeavor and a framework for innovative public science engagement.
Saratoga Springs Satellite Reef, 2021–2022
Part of the Crochet Coral Reef project by Christine and Margaret Wertheim and the Institute For Figuring Acrylic, wool, cotton yarns; VHS tapes; plastic bags; wire; unknown materials
The Saratoga Springs Satellite Reef is a community art project that brings together both new and long-time crocheters from around the world for a museum-led installation. Through craft, the project teaches about our oceans’ coral reefs, some of the largest and most colorful living structures on earth. From February to December 2021, the Tang invited people to join virtual and in-person workshops and craft circles and contribute their unique creations to the more than 1,500 crocheted corals that join together to form the Reef. Some submissions are the work of seasoned crocheters who used this project to explore creating non-functional objects, distinct from conventional hats and blankets, while others come from new crafters who had never picked up a hook or worked with yarn before. The Reef demonstrates how crochet, a technique historically practiced by women, intersects with math, biology, climate change, and other scientific topics. Through this project, many crocheters became craft activists, drawing attention to coral bleaching, which occurs when corals undergo stress, like the extreme changes in temperature spurred by climate change. The basic form seen throughout the Reef is made by simply increasing stitches on each round, which produces a coral-like structure. Each individual coral reflects the crafter who made it, and the use of different yarns, stitches, increase rates, and crochet hook sizes, in addition to individual style, generates the incredible variety that makes up the Reef. The Saratoga Springs Satellite Reef reminds us that we can use everyday items like yarn and crochet hooks to change how we see and experience the world around us. All we need is to take a cue from nature itself.
—olivia cammisa-frost, special events and publications manager
Makers: Jackie AllaireMacdonald Liz Archer Karen Arciero Sharon Arpey Nurcan Atalan-Helicke Sonia Athalye Amy Sue Axen Katie Backaus Adelaide Barkhorn Judith E. Barlow Margaret Barry Rachel Baum Fiona Berry Mary Berry Laura Bill Sarah Boiwz Clare Boland Cassie Bond Tamar Bordwin Angie Bowles Carrie Boyd John Boyd Indira Brechko Kaitlyn Burch Emily Cabral Meghan Cabral Kelly Callahan Elaine Cammisa Olivia Cammisa-Frost Ricki Carroll Elyssa Carson Louise Carson Cece’s Wool craft circle Kathy Ceceri Molly Channon Kathy Chen
Nadja Choroszylow Eliana Colzani Claudia Comay Elizabeth Custer Betty A. Davis Caroline Declercq Candace Deisley Jaydelis Deleon Cynthia DiDonnaNethaway Fatou Diop Stacey Downey Karen Drozdyk Zoe Drozdyk Kate Dudding Kyle Dzurica Jessica Eisenthal Cathy Eliseo Sheena Emma Jordan Epstein Naomi Epstein Kendra Farstad Lorena Ferreira Carol A. Firestone Natalie Fischer Kara Fisher Kerry Flynn Karen Franciola Jaimie Frank Jutta Frankie Amy Frappier Leah French Madelyn Friend Donna Galloway Chelsey Giammarino Stephanie Gilbert Emma Gill Michaela Glinsky
Kathy Gordon Daisy Graham Kylie Green Hanhui Guo Mary Hague Brook Heston Kirsten Hogenson Betty Holck Sonia Holmer-Herrmann Shiloh Hurley Kristen Hyman Taylor Jaskula Brianna Johnson Kelly Johnson Patty Johnston Eileen Kaiser Annelise Kelly Erica Kemp Matthew Kennedy Anna Knapp Rebecca Knutson Kelli Kozak Sujin Lapinski-Barker Elaine Larsen Julia Lawless Gabriela Lebron Linda Leskovitz Joan Levine Anna Lewis Maya Litton Angel Lockhart Caroline Love Miller Jessica Lubniewski Genesis Maldonado Victoria Manganiello Rosie Manley Bettina Marlow Emma Martell
Sasha Mathrani Donna McAlpin Darlene McNamara Kat McNamara Rebecca McNamara Bailey McShane Samantha McShane Steve Medwin Sophia Mehta Alice Mensching Elysse Meredith Michele Merges Martens Lorraine Mignone Jenny Miller Laura Miller Sarah Miller Sharon Milzoff Frances Moore Joanne Morrison Kitty Muntzel Tommy Myhill Nancy Nelson Diane Nolan Max Nolan Christiana Nuzzi Michiko Okaya Calen Olegnowicz Barbara Oliver Lorraine Oller Kathy Overington Sharon Paddock Susan Palmer Gina Peterson Renee Phaneuf Melisa Ramirez Barbara Raymond Angela Rella Marjorie Renko
Avery Roberts Gabriella Root Stephanie Ryall Amy Samson Katie Saunders Hans Schepker Marcy Schepker Jen Schildge Paul Seggev Rachel Seligman Kathryn Shelton Smith College students + staff Madeline Alexa Smith Libby Smith-Holmes Deborah Soffel Susan Sofia-McIntire Gina Soressi Elizabeth Sovern Rica Spector Max Spencer Cathy Splinter Maria Staack Megan Stasi Linda Stern Barbara Sullivan Sicke Csilla Szabo Ilona Szabo Emily Theisen Tina Thering Luce Threads Cyndee Tovsen Becky Trousil Peris Tushabe Bryn Valenti Victoria Van Der Laan Lorelei Von Stackelberg Amy Wagner
Holly Walsh Riva Weinstein Kaliyah Wilson Cynthia Winika Dianne Winter Maurice Wisdom Sophia Wittemyer Cheryl Wood Betty Young Tricia Young Cynthia Zellner Isabel Zellner-Coe Lisa Zimmermann Jordan Nancy Zimmermann
What are corals? — Corals are animals — Corals first developed about 500 million years ago — Each coral structure is made up of hundreds to thousands of tiny creatures called polyps; polyps produce a hard outer skeleton of limestone that attaches to either rock or the dead skeletons of other polyps
— Coral polyps have small tentacle-like arms to capture food and place it into their mouths, the only opening in their hollow bodies
Why do corals matter? — Coral reefs have the greatest biodiversity of any ecosystem globally; biodiversity reduction due to global warming and other human-caused factors leads to the breakdown of ecosystem health
— Coral reefs are home to more than 25 percent of all marine fish species while occupying less than 1 percent of the ocean floor
— Healthy coral reefs provide income and food to both commercial and small-scale fisheries
— Coral reefs provide economic goods and services worth about $375 billion each year in the form of coastal protection, fisheries, tourism, and more
— Coral reefs absorb 97 percent of the energy from waves headed toward shore, protecting coasts from erosion and flooding
— Fish that rely on corals are a significant food source for over a billion people worldwide
In what ways are corals in danger? — Coral reefs are 50 percent less able to provide food, jobs, and climate protection than they were in the 1950s
— Rising ocean temperatures killed about 14 percent of the world’s coral reefs between 2008 and 2019
— Scientists have estimated that over the next 20 years, about 70–90 percent of all coral reefs will disappear as a result of warming ocean waters, ocean acidity, and pollution
How can I help the corals? — Advocate for more transparency in labeling of materials made with synthetic products
— Restrict your use of lawn and garden chemicals such as Malathion, Permethrin, Profenofos, Chlorpyrifos, Imidacloprid, Antrazine, and Glyphosphate (Roundup™)
— Practice good reef etiquette when swimming by avoiding physical contact: do not touch, handle, or feed marine life
— Dispose of your plastic trash properly: the likelihood of disease in coral reefs increases from 4 percent, when plastic is absent, to 89 percent in the presence of plastic
— Educate yourself on local fishing rules and regulations and avoid overfishing, which can damage coral habitats and deplete vital species
— Avoid buying fish from commercial reef fisheries — Educate yourself on coral-friendly sunscreens and especially avoid products with oxybenzone and octinoxate
— Buy garments made of natural material or biobased synthetics, or buy second-hand: importantly, when possible, avoid purchasing new clothing and yarns made with petroleumderived synthetic fibers; the extraction and production of petroleum harms marine environments, and plastic microfibers are released into the environment through wearing, washing, and disposal
Resources Coral Reef Alliance, coral.org Crochet Coral Reef, crochetcoralreef.org Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, Corals and Coral Reefs, floridakeys.noaa.gov/corals/welcome.html Great Barrier Reef Foundation, www.barrierreef.org International Union for Conservation of Nature, Coral Reefs and Climate Change, www.iucn.org/resources/issues-briefs/ coral-reefs-and-climate-change National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, oceanservice.noaa.gov
Guide to coral reefs written by Curatorial Intern Evan Little ’22
Commit to a reduction in your carbon footprint and an increase in your carbon handprint, the positive effect you have on local and global environments. Collective action, as demonstrated by the Saratoga Springs Satellite Reef, leads to meaningful impact. We can either perpetuate or be the solution to global climate change. Our unified efforts are crucial to generating the greatest impact in the effort to protect coral reefs.
Radical Fiber: Threads Connecting Art and Science is organized by Associate Curator Rebecca McNamara and supported by Friends of the Tang