“If you tell me it means happiness, it probably means happiness,” chuckled Olek, the Polish-born crocheter. “I hope it does.” That says it all. Every piece of Olek’s whimsical crochet pieces, regardless of the colours or patterns, is up against individual interpretation. This is the allure of her art pieces – each crocheted item goes through a reincarnation, emerging as a new interpretation.

Olek – an alias derived from the artist’s last name Oleksiak – is no stranger to creating highbrow art pieces. She has crocheted the masculine Merrill Lynch Bull in New York into a pink-and-purple tamed beast and quoted Martin Luther King’s “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” in an outdoor project she crocheted in London. All these shed a new light on the original objects, a majority of them with a seemingly provocative message. But behind every bold installation is a simple idea. “I hope to inspire many things, but even if I bring a little smile on somebody’s face, I think I’ve accomplished something as an artist,” said Olek.

The story began years ago when Olek was living in destitute conditions, scavenging the streets for furniture for her apartment in New York. She decided to crochet over old pieces of furniture. “It’s new, I get them a new identity, I give them hope, I give them a new beginning and a new life,” explained Olek.

See our interview with Magda Sayeg, another crochet artist who has perfected the art of yarn bombing.

In a brand new mission in Hong Kong, Olek spent almost three weeks working around the clock to embellish, or crochet, the interiors of Elements Mall for the holiday season, turning both the Fire and Metal Zones into a dreamy wonderland. The usual political or social insinuation in her projects is absent this show. Titled Weaving for a Warm Christmas, the exhibition showcases a seven-metre, completely crocheted Christmas tree, as well as an open-house set up that is covered in acrylic yarn. Everything from the floor and piano to the couch to glasses are given a new identity, with a little touch of Hong Kong.

“I always bring my own acrylic yarn from the United States, but as well I try to find local materials here and when I saw some gold ribbons [in Hong Kong], I was like a kid in a candy store,” said Olek, who eventually bought “half the store”. These special golden creations include the wine glasses, chandelier and a bunch of grapes, all showing meticulous craftsmanship. The Polish artist said she would crochet continuously for 15 to 18 hours a day, completely absorbed in her work. With that, her wrists are now partially damaged that she is unable to unscrew bottled beverages. But there is no stopping her.

“When you’re a creative person, you find a way to transform miserable time into something better,” said Olek. “You tell yourself you’ll make something bigger, stronger and better, and introduce it to the public. I always say my best project is the next one!”

Watch the video above to see the colourful artworks by Olek.

Videography by Tyrone Wu

Weaving for a Warm Christmas
Date: Now until January 1, 2013
Venue: Elements Mall Metal, Water and Fire Zones
There will be live music and dance performances on various dates. To see the event schedule, please click here.