SunForceOceanLife: Walk Through Colorful Crochet at the MFAH

As you step into the hanging entrance of the SunForceOceanLife exhibit at The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, you’re instantly surrounded by a latticework of orange, yellow, and green crocheted walls, with shifting paths of plastic balls woven together beneath your feet.

Dangling 12 feet in the air in MFAH’s Cullinan Hall is a suspended maze of walkways created by Brazilian artist Ernesto Neto. Neto grew up in Rio de Janeiro where he learned how to crochet from his grandmother. As he grew older, he began experimenting with abstract forms of art, beginning his relationship with interactive pieces. SunForceOceanLife tells a story of how life is created, through the sun and the ocean. 

Buzz intern Eliot Aiman explores SunForceOceanLife. (Photo: Katharine Stepanian)

Along with a team of 12 other artists, Neto crocheted SunForceOceanLife from scratch, implementing patterns of brightly-woven crochet and orange plastic balls to give the viewer a warm, inviting feel.  

Ever since it sold out on its opening day on May 30, the installation has been buzzing with visitors. A perfect summer excursion for families, SunForceOceanLife will be open through Sept. 26.

As you walk into Cullinan Hall, SunForceOceanLife hangs dramatically from the rafters. (Photo: Eliot Aiman)

Tickets are $25 for an adult (19+), $20 for seniors (65+), $20 for youth, 13-18; free for children 12 and under. Advance tickets are recommended; the price of tickets include general admission to the Museum. Children 6+ and up may walk through the exhibit as long as they meet the height requirement (42 inches). Bring a pair of socks with you. See more details, along with a required waiver, on the MFAH website.