andy warhol bridge blanketed in over 600 knittings

andy warhol bridge blanketed in over 600 knittings
images courtesy of knit the bridge

a multicolored arrangement of hundreds of hand-knit and hand-crocheted blankets sweater the exterior of the andy warhol bridge in pittsburgh. knit-the-bridge called on over 1,800 volunteers and team members to help sew vibrant, patterned canvasses that cover the bridge’s entire facade. draped over its sides, towers and main cables are unique rectangular panels, each made by a different artist, bearing a distinct pattern, motif, and chroma. the handles of the pedestrian walkway have been fitted with crocheted sections, and the tower required the special assistance of technical workers, who cloaked the industrial cables with a selection of handmade art.

the election of the andy warhol bridge as the host for the installation was a fitting celebration of art — it is the only overpass in the united states that is named for a visual artist. the participatory project, which was made possible by the fiberarts guild of pittsburgh as part of its current triennial exhibition, will remain on the bridge until september 7th, 2013 after which the blanket panels will be cleaned and donated to homeless shelters, senior citizen centers and animal rescue groups.

a view of the knitted bridge

the colorful knits juxtapose the pittsburgh skyline

workers tether the yarn pieces to the tower of the bridge

knit-the-bridge team members install the patterns to the facade

a detail of a volunteer securing a piece of the patterned piece to the bridge

the knits, before they were draped along the sides of the bridge