A man and his needles.

I am loving the humor, irony, and skill of artist and avid knitter Mark Newport.
He creates super hero knitted unitards, with hero symbols, accessories and mask. All I want to know is where are the capes?
some of his heroes are familiar old standbys...


while other are creations of his own invention...

It is easy with the silliness and pleasure of the idea to overlook the incredible skill and ambitious nature of Mark. I mean look at his technique!


Mark states:

My recent work explores different facets of masculine identity and activity. Many of these works come about in response to the question, "How do I know how to be a man?" Some of the pieces examine role models from public arenas (football players, politicians, artists, servicemen, superheroes) while others address more personal ones (husbands, lovers, fathers). Many images are chosen for the activity they depict or the function they serve as either residue of an event or a collectible object...

Through the choice of form (trading card, garment, bed cover) and the method of transformation of the original object, I compare myself to what I have been shown and told about being a man. The activity of making the work becomes a way for me to transform what I have learned and present one of the many ways of understanding masculinity.

In installation his work can have a frightening and ominous feel, with the large scale figures suspended and pinned to the wall. Their limpness adds a very creepy and dangerous feel to them.

What can I say, I love a man with knitting needles.
Do you think if I got one for C he would wear it?
Ha.
To see more of Marks super hero style of art check his website out here.