Olek

Olek, born Agata Oleksiak, is an artist who bases their practice on covering people and objects in snug crocheted cozies; as the artist puts it, “my madness becomes crochet.” They have used their craft to re-create popular imagery and well-known art in the form of installations and performances, including works by Banksy and Annie Leibovitz’s 1986 portrait of Keith Haring. They often include text in their works, like medical reports, text messages, and famously provocative quotes by Marilyn Monroe and Madonna. Olek’s work is commonly spotted around New York, where they have covered cars, chained bicycles, Bernard Rosenthal’s Astor Place Cube, and Wall Street’s charging bull statue. While their characteristic crochet motif is a camouflage pattern in fluorescent colors, recently their works have tended towards grayscale. Olek also wears their own crocheted creations.