“A Day in the Life” with Toronto artist Chason Yeboah

Chason Yeboah is an Afro-Caribbean, Toronto born artist. Many of her works touch on themes of identity, representation self-love and body-positivity. She is very well known in Toronto for her handcrafted nude, crocheted dolls called KnotNaked dolls. Each one is anatomically correct and representational of different body types; they come in a variety of skin tones and sizes. These dolls were made to represent the under-represented and the marginalized, and created to remove the shame from nudity. Some of the dolls you might find in her collection include representations of trans folks, amputees, mastectomy survivors, folks with multiple skin tones and more! Apart from her crocheted dolls Chason uses her craft and her vending spaces as a community building tool; her booth at art shows is marked as a safe space and she opens the floor for honest and open discussions about body insecurities and the like. She also teaches crochet for free as a way to keep the mind healthy. In the past she has been one half of a collective called Acts of Kindness who’s objective was to spread love through Toronto with the art of crochet. Together acts of Kindness taught crochet for mindfulness, anger management and esteem building. Chason carries these lessons at many vending opportunities, using craft to talk, and allowing us to heal from our ingrained traumas together as a community.

Chason Yeboah - Making a birthing mom, look the baby's crowning!
Making a birthing mom, look the baby’s crowning!
Here I am creating a very large and curvy piece. She is Venus and the Mother
Here I am creating a very large and curvy piece. She is Venus and the Mother
The Kensington Market Art Fair was the first fair I ever did, and five years later it is still so good to me! Here I am at my booth feeling so good because I love love love talking to the people of this beautiful city.
The Kensington Market Art Fair was the first fair I ever did, and five years later it is still so good to me! Here I am at my booth feeling so good because I love love love talking to the people of this beautiful city.
"Love is Love" is a piece I created to celebrate all the types of consensual love that can exist!
“Love is Love” is a piece I created to celebrate all the types of consensual love that can exist!
Here I am facilitating
Here I am facilitating a girl’s group crochet workshop. When we get together we talk about self-love, current beauty standards, and how with hard work and through supporting each other we can accomplish so much!
A piece created to celebrate the beauty of the "black family" something that we are not very exposed to, even in 2018
A piece created to celebrate the beauty of the “black family” something that we are not very exposed to, even in 2018
Here is a one piece suit that I created to fit my body (6'4 frame) that will be covered in crocheted penises, each one created after an unsolicited photo that I've received. This piece touches on themes of harassment and consent.
Here is a one piece suit that I created to fit my body (6’4 frame) that will be covered in crocheted penises, each one created after an unsolicited photo that I’ve received. This piece touches on themes of harassment and consent.

What ‘hood are you in?

I’m in little Malta, a quiet little gem in the city just outside the junction.

What do you do?

I am a lover of crochet and textile arts! I would identify as a crochet sculptor, as most of the works I make are 3D figures. I am also a private crochet teacher and a workshop facilitator.

What are you currently working on?

I am currently working on a life-sized crocheted doll for a group show in Kensington Market called Home Away Home. The piece is a narrative on identity and how we identify when we move to an environment such as Toronto where a multitude of races, cultures and identities are abundant.

Where can we find your work?

You can find my work in person Sep 6th-9th in Kensington Market where I will be participating in Home Away Home. My stop will be a performance art stop in the backyard of 58 Bellevue St. I will also be facilitating a crochet workshop in the newly finished park in Kensington each day of the show. Otherwise you can find my portfolio at @knotnaked on instagram!

 

 

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Editor-In-Chief at Toronto Guardian. Photographer and Writer for Toronto Guardian and Joel Levy Photography