Building a Better Umbrella

Acconci Studio Umbruffla: Renderings & Notes 2005. Kenny Schachter, Rove Projects, London.

This morning as I crossed Connecticut Avenue on my way in to work, the view of so many dull black umbrellas bobbing towards the Metro made me feel much more blue than the weather. Can’t we do better? Happily, Chief Curator Eliza Rathbone reminded us all in our morning meeting of Vito Acconci who participated in one of our Conversations with Artists in which he described his Umbruffla, a collapsible cocoon-like personal shelter that would protect not only from rain, but from the rest of the intruding environment. Ah, what a lovely sight a sidewalk-full of Umbrufflas would be!

Click below to hear Vito Acconci describe the Umbruffla, among many other projects and performances.

Our upcoming season of Conversations with Artists begins October 12 with Wolfgang Laib.

2 thoughts on “Building a Better Umbrella

  1. Pingback: Arts Roundup: Instant Lunch Edition - Arts Desk - Washington City Paper

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