Arts & Culture

This Unique Crochet Art Installation is the First of Its Kind in Cebu

Art manifests itself in many forms, and yarn-bombing is just one of them. This art installation is bound to turn heads.

When you think of the word “art”, your thoughts immediately picture out a canvas, different types of brushes and different colored paints. However, it presents many forms, especially in the local scene.

Take for example the art installation by Cebu Crochet Group at the Outlets at Pueblo Verde in Basak, Lapu-Lapu City. It’s part of the Art in the Fork weekend fair, a tryst of all artists and their different forms of art, such as local short films and bands, to dainty necklaces and bracelets on display.

Decorated from the bottom up, the trees located at a mini park adjacent to the food shops are hugged by different pieces of colorful, interlocking loops of yarn and thread. The installation is dubbed as “yarn bombing”, the crochet version of the usual street art and graffiti. It attracts visitors of different ages to a varied display of interesting, quirky and vibrant patterns.

The yarn bomb installation titled Ganchillo Artistico at the Outlets at Pueblo Verde is the first of its kind in Cebu. Adorning three acacia trees, a couple of benches, and lamp posts with crocheted friendly-looking monster plushies, the idea was to incorporate three most common crochet shapes and stitches: doilies or rounds, granny squares and waves or chevron.

“Crochet has always been around us as long as we can remember, (as) we often see beautiful crochet pieces in our homes created by our grandmas, our aunties and moms,” says Sarah Palmares, a crochet artist and one of the people behind the Cebu Crochet Group. She adds that the unique handmade nature of the crochet art is what sets it apart from machine-made knitted materials we see in common stores and boutiques.

Crochet enthusiasts come in all ages, as crochet skills and pattern sharing have been made easier through social media, evidenced by their online presence made possible by the digital age. The importance of the existence of artisan arts like that of crochet—aside from it being used as art pieces—is that it is also used to transform neglected items in the household, such as pieces of tin cans and to turn them into holders for pens or utensils. Moreover, crochet art can also help in patching up and beautifying worn-out pieces of jewelry, such as hanging earrings and necklaces.

As Sarah would narrate, crocheting has been a therapeutic activity for her, a rest from all the hustle at work for the entire day. Bernadette Dy, another crochet enthusiast from the group, recalls her on-and-off relationship with crochet since she was 18 years old. She rekindled this relationship when she had a delicate pregnancy that restricted her to bed rest, when crochet came into the picture and helped give her a sense of purpose despite the stress. When it comes to personalized and heartwarming gift ideas for family and friends, Yasmin Jumao-as sees crochet-making and crafting as a best friend during gift-giving seasons.

In line with the launching of the yarn bombing art installation, the crochet enthusiasts from the Cebu Crochet Group also imparted their knowledge and skills of the versatile craft during the basic crochet-making workshops. As the installation was done through teamwork, skill, and motivation to make the most out of the craft, the group proved that there is more we can make out of crochet than the usual blankets, table cloth and coasters.

When asked for her inspiration behind the art of crochet, Sarah reponds, “To finish something created by your own hand is gratifying. It’s giving a part of yourself to each piece you make, as you touch each strand of yarn as you work.”

Crochet, like all types of art, speaks the artists’ language and is a mirror of their thoughts. It’s an expression of the group’s passion for the craft, continuing to prove the creativity of the Cebuano.

Related Topics:art Cebu Crochet Group Crochet Outlets at Pueblo Verde Yarn Bombing

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Chaos and Clarity: Zen Aesthetic in Oj Hofer’s Art

by Jing Ramos |

Oj Hofer, our fashion contributing editor, is a Fine Arts graduate from the University of the Philippines. Though he began painting at the age of eight, his artistic journey took a transformative turn in 2013. While volunteering as a costume designer for Siddhartha: The Musical, he encountered Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s One-Stroke Calligraphy, sparking a deep devotion to Japanese sumi-e painting and kanji calligraphy. Over the years, he refined his craft, using his art to share the Dharma through exhibitions while supporting the Hsing Yun Educational Foundation. In 2022, his spiritual path deepened at Nan Tien University, where he embraced Zen and Humanistic Buddhism, shaping his artistic philosophy.

“Plum Blossoms in Moonlight.” Serigraphy on abaca.

In his recent works, Hofer merges traditional calligraphy with serigraphy, drawing inspiration from his friend Charles Lahti—an internationally recognized New York-based painter and printmaker. Lahti, known for his collaborations with post-war American artists like Robert Rauschenberg, Donald Judd, Andy Warhol, and LeRoy Neiman, introduced Hofer to silkscreen techniques. Through a workshop Lahti conducted in Cebu—arranged by their mutual friend Greg Urra—Hofer integrated silkscreen into his Zen artworks, particularly those on abaca.

“The Circle of Harmony” Serigraphy and Calligraphy on abaca.

Hofer’s cross-disciplinary approach challenges conventional Zen aesthetics. His layered paintings on abaca may seem far from tranquil at first glance, but closer contemplation reveals a meditative core. His serigraph of an Enso circle, for example, initially appears chaotic, filled with Tang Dynasty poetry and overlapping, repetitive forms. Yet, by focusing on a single calligraphic element, the viewer experiences a moment of clarity—a glimpse of awakening within the visual complexity.

“Monkey Mind” Serigraphy and Calligraphy on abaca.

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Ink and intention—creating calligraphy in support of one of my advocacies.

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Sappia, the rice myth goddess of Bohol

Sappia, from the heavens, heard the cries of the people. She saw the dense population of weeds and offered to help them. Sappia thought of nourishing the weeds to be edible and healthy for the people of Bohol. Straightaway, she sprinkled the weed with milk from her bossom. She emptied each breast until blood came out. Before she left, she whispered to the weeds that they may be nourished and be able to feed the people.

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Arts & Culture

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Kimsoy with his student and muse, Zhara Rivera Mercado, at the entrance of Galerie Raphael

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As the River Flows Onward by Kimsoy Yap 2020 | Oil on canvas | 82×48 inches

The exhibit transcends beyond just the commemoration of Kimsoy’s masterful periods. It wanders more into a sense of intimacy reflecting Kimsoy’s life’s journey—from his roots as a young boy in Negros Oriental, through his pursuit of greater artistic mastery in New York, to his prominence in Cebu’s art scene. All his work freehanded, created both with his left and right hand, depicts the ways in which we all leave traces of ourselves in our work and in the world.

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In a Relaxed Mood 1977 | water color on paper | 16×19.5 inches

The opening ceremony featured Ambassador Jose Mari Cariño, alongside special guests Ivy Ang Gabas, Paolo Li, Angbetic Tan, Laurie Bouquiren of the Visayas Art Fair, and Valerie Go of Galerie Raphael Cebu. The exhibit is open until March 21, 2025.