Review: Documentary reveals ‘Yarn’ as surprisingly radical art

It’s not uncommon to spot yarn bombing in urban areas — colorful hand-knit textiles enveloping street lights and parking meters, little moments of whimsy in an otherwise drab cityscape. “Yarn,” a documentary directed by Montreal-based Icelandic filmmaker Una Lorenzen, explains these pieces as radical art, and introduces the yarn and textile artists who are using traditional handicrafts to make powerful statements about the way we live.

The doc follows several artists/activists making a mark on the world one stitch at a time. Free-spirited Polish artist Olek crochets covers for locomotives, mermaid tails and full body suits, bringing color and texture to the places where you least expect it. Icelandic knitter Tinna learned yarn craft from her grandmother and great-grandmother and describes herself as a yarn graffiti artist, spreading political messages and “feminine energy” from buoys off Spain to the streets of Havana.

The film also includes glimpses into the Danish knitting-themed show “Cirkus Cirkör,” and the work of Japanese artist Toshiko, who transitioned her knitted contemporary artwork into public spaces for interaction and play.

A narration titled “Where It Begins,” written and performed by Barbara Kingsolver, is a distracting element, and the time would have been far better focused on the words of the artists themselves.

Each speaks eloquently to the inherently feminine nature of this kind of handicraft, typically seen more for its utility. They’ve harnessed the qualities of this tradition to make us see the world in a different way, to elicit feelings of homeyness and comfort. It’s an inspiring portrait of a truly feminist mode of art.

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‘Yarn’

In English and Icelandic, with English subtitles

Not rated

Running time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Playing: Laemmle Ahrya Fine Arts Theater, Beverly Hills; and Laemmle Playhouse 7, Pasadena