Who needs the exhaustion and heartache of dating when you can knit yourself the perfect partner? Artist Noortje De Keijzer was lonely and instead of going through the trouble of using Tinder, she knitted herself a boyfriend. In this knitted art piece titled My Knitted Boyfriend, Noortje provides a simpler option of finding the ideal partner. Her quirky piece is comic and bizarre but is also a social commentary on modern dating and relationship expectations. This stuffed “cushion to kiss” takes away the pain of a human relationship, becoming whatever the artist wants from him. He is adjusted with different accessories to the artist’s preference and enjoys whatever the artist enjoys. 

This knitted boyfriend also comes with a sweet picture book created by the artist to depict their relationship. This picture book, that follows the traditional style of a children’s book, shows them watching movies and lying innocently in bed together.  Hence, this strange concept of a partner and their relationship becomes surprisingly sentimental. To add on to the enchanting relationship depicted in this story-book, the Utrecht-based artist has also created an enduring documentary detailing their relationship.

What is interesting about her work is the domestic setting she documents this relationship in. Nowadays with social networking there are certain expectations and pressures involved in the appearance of one’s relationship. However, Noortje showing her love in a private setting, challenging this notion of a relationship built in a public realm.

As an artwork, “My Knitted Boyfriend” has received little criticism from the public. However,  the artist expressed in an interview that she was pleased to see negative reactions to her projects because it was an implication of the project provoking an opinion about the issues has explored.  All in all, her artwork challenges what it means to be lonely and the concept of love and courtship in this day and age.

Noortje explains:

“I hope my project brings a bit of recognition, and awareness that everybody feels lonely from time to time. That it is totally fine to talk about it or even laugh about it! I tried to make a very humorous project about this serious subject. I believe that laughing about a negative feeling is already the beginning of a more positive and happy feeling. And when you feel positive and happy with yourself, the right person will come along!”

See more of her works here ! 

Images from huffingtonpost