Margaret Wertheim’s Tedx Talk, The Beautiful Math of Coral, takes the subject deeper and explains the science, math, and creativity of the crocheted coral reef project.
The Wertheims founded the Institute For Figuring, through which they create ecological projects and engage audiences through crochet, science and mathematics.
They developed a beautiful Core Collection of crocheted coral reefs that tour the world, visiting art galleries and museums, and in 2021 The Ontario Science Centre. The Core Collection raises awareness of bleaching and damage to coral reefs around the world as a result of warming oceans due to climate change.
The visiting Core Collection is accompanied by local crocheters creating their own hyperbolic planes to form so-called Satellite Reefs. The #OntarioSatelliteReef project began in 2021 and will remain on display at the Ontario Science Centre well into 2022.
Kim Callaghan, a contributor to the #OntarioSatelliteReef, heard about The Coral Reef Project in 2008 while in New York City. “I saw crocheted coral at the New York University Broadway windows and thought they were awesome,” she said. “Then I saw an ad for the lecture through the Ontario Science Centre last winter and was super excited to know that they were the same creators, and that the project had continued and flourished for so many years. To watch Margaret Wertheim discuss math, science, and crochet in a webinar during the pandemic, through the Ontario Science Centre, blew my mind.”
Kim explained that she is concerned about plastics in oceans, toxins in breast milk, warming temperatures, changes in diseases caused by climate change, how long humans will continue on the planet. “Most recently, I’m concerned about teens and mental health as they contemplate the climate crisis.”
Crocheter Kaileigh Kwan heard about the reef project when she and her family visited the Ontario Science Center this August. “It was the first members-only weekend since the pandemic began in 2020. We noticed a beautiful display once entering and were curious and excited to see a display of crochet coral reef.” Kaileigh considers herself a craftivist and was inspired by Margaret Wertheim’s TedxTalk to learn more and take action in her region.
Donna Francis is the Ontario Science Centre’s Researcher-Programmer for Chemistry & Materials Science and coordinator of the coral reef project. An avid knitter, she heard about the coral reef project several years ago. She recalls, “A satellite version of the Crochet Coral Reef was hosted independently in Toronto in 2012 in a neighbourhood window, and I thought that it was so lovely. I learned more about it as a result, and was overjoyed when the Ontario Science Centre was in talks with the artists to bring the exhibition to Toronto. I was very happy to participate in the satellite reef project and bring it to life for our visitors, both virtual and in-person!”
She continues, “The most exciting aspect of this #OntarioSatelliteReef project for me is the opportunity to engage in a community collaboration and see what different people create in response. I am so in awe of the work that crafters have submitted! The Ontario Science Centre has displayed artistic responses and innovative ideas as part of other exhibitions, but I think that this is the first time that it has a digital presence on our website where other people can view and be inspired by the creativity in addition to seeing the collaboration on site at the Ontario Science Centre.”
The Ontario Science Centre will continue to accept contributions until early 2022. Dr. Taimina’s free crochet patterns are available on Ravelry and others can be found online, especially on Pinterest.
Find more information at Ontario Satellite Reef | Ontario Science Centre.
All images used with permission of the Ontario Science Centre.
