The graduate thesis titled Textile Art as Activism Against Gentrification and Climate Change explores the process of creating a textile product with a meaningful message, grounded in activism. The aim of the thesis is to present textile art as a medium for visually expressing socially critical messages. The theoretical part of the thesis discusses the social, economic, and environmental issues of urban environments. It highlights the importance of sustainable neighborhoods, their functioning, and the indicators that lead to the gentrification of urban spaces. Additionally, good sustainable practices in Slovenia are also presented. The second part of the theoretical part focuses on textile art and its significance in the urban environment. Topics covered include activism, the history of textile art, the importance of public spaces for art, the local population's attitude towards art, and the communities that create art within urban spaces. The experimental part shows the process that led to the creation of a textile product, which will be presented within the space as an art installation. The production process includes exploring both hand and machine textured knitting techniques, dyeing wool yarn with acid dyes, and creating ceramic pieces which were painted, glazed, and shaped to serve as supports for the knitted pieces. The final product consists of three individual pieces that thematically represent the urban space of the future, connecting people with nature to form a cohesive community. The product carries a meaningful message, aiming to inspire current society with the possibility of positive changes that can happen in the future.
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