Photos of The Knitting Machine are available here. 

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — To commemorate July 4, multidisciplinary artist Dave Cole will make the world’s largest knitted American flag at the Momentary. Using telephone poles as knitting needles and two large excavators as arms, Cole will orchestrate each purl and knit of the flag from a boom lift above. The grandiose spectacle will begin on July 1, with a theatrical last knit one, purl two happening during a special celebration on July 4. The Kitting Machine, and completed flag, will remain on display in the North Courtyard on the Momentary’s campus through July 16 – proudly waiving in the background of the Brothers Osborne concert on July 15.  

In tandem with The Knitting Machine, the Momentary will host a pop-up exhibition, Sideshow, featuring additional works by the artist in the Boiler Room gallery.  

WHAT:
The Knitting Machine Fourth of July Celebration with Artist Dave Cole. Cole will knit the world’s largest knitted American flag from July 1 through July 4. The artist will complete the final stitches of the flag during a special celebration on July 4.

WHERE:
The Momentary
North Courtyard
507 SE E Street
Bentonville, AR 72712

WHEN:
July 1
The Knitting Machine will knit from 9 am to 3 pm.  

July 2
The Knitting Machine will knit from 9 am to 3 pm. 

July 3
No knitting will take place, but visitors, photography, and video are welcome.   

July 4 Celebration 
7:30 pm to 9 pm:
Guests can drop by during the July 4 celebration to witness Cole’s final stitches. Bites and drinks will be available for purchase.  

9 pm to 11 pm: 
Following the flag’s completion, guests are welcome to head up to the Tower Bar for an engagement with the artist — complete with a Fourth of July-themed cocktail menu, artist insights, a live DJ, and the best fireworks views in town. Members in attendance will receive a complimentary beverage on the Momentary. 

July 1 through July 16
The Knitting Machine installation will be on view outside at the Momentary, along with an exhibition of additional works by the artist inside the Boiler Room gallery.  

WHO:
Artist Dave Cole creates art that is richly layered but also easily accessible, with plenty of room for wit and irreverence. He explores the complexities and contradictions of American identity, including its deeply rooted patriotism and strong work ethic, by employing symbols that impart fresh meaning to a wide range of objects and ideas by repurposing familiar tools and objects that create delightful and unexpected juxtapositions.

HOW:
Free, no tickets required.

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About Dave Cole
“Art can be both intellectually rigorous and conceptually accessible without compromising either value—I think it comes closest to its purpose when it is.” 

Dave Cole grew up working with iron in his grandfather’s blacksmith shop, on the family farm in New Hampshire. He attended Brown University, graduating with honors in 2000.  

Cole has had solo exhibitions at Mass MoCA, The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, and The Norton Museum of Art, among others.  

Cole’s work is in the permanent collection of the Smithsonian American Art Museum and Brown University, where his work is on permanent display.  

He lives and works in Hudson, New York.  

About the Momentary
Opened in February of 2020, the Momentary is a contemporary art space in downtown Bentonville, Arkansas, for visual, performing, and culinary arts. The mission of the Momentary is to champion contemporary art’s role in everyday life and explore the unfolding story of contemporary American arts in an international context by actively commissioning and exhibiting outstanding works that explore new ideas and inspire action. The Momentary was founded by the Walton family, based on the vision of Tom, Olivia, and Steuart Walton. The Walton Family Foundation is supporting this project as a way to enhance the quality of life in Northwest Arkansas. The Momentary is a satellite to Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, founded by Alice Walton. The Momentary welcomes all with free general admission. Additional offerings include an artist-in-residence program, culinary experiences including an Onyx Coffee Lab and the sky-high Tower Bar, indoor and outdoor gathering spaces, an outdoor festival space, and a gift store. For more information, visit theMomentary.org. The Momentary is located at 507 SE E Street, Bentonville, Arkansas 72712. The Momentary’s Founding Funders are Walton Family Foundation, Walmart, RØDE Microphones, The Coca-Cola Company, Tyson Family Foundation, and Willard and Pat Walker Charitable Foundation.