Rain in Kyoto

At the beginning of my 2-month scholarship at the Kyoto Art Center, I strolled through the streets of Kyoto and wanted to let the new impressions take effect on me. During my residency I wanted to explore the relationship between collective and individual.

Suddenly it started to rain. A soft, gentle rain, but the sky above me was blue and the sun was shining. As if out of nowhere, umbrellas stood in front of all the shops. And the image on the streets of Kyoto changed. The umbrellas opened above the pedestrians. So I was very surprised when I learned that the shops lend out the umbrellas and the grateful users bring them back afterwards. Interesting when you think about the distances an umbrella travels and how often the umbrellas change their carrier. They seemed to me like mute servants, who hardly attract attention but are always at your service.

兄弟姉妹 (Kyo-dai to Shimai) is the name of the umbrella composition, which means brother and sister. It plays with the collective interaction when it starts raining in Japan. In a certain way the umbrella is a connecting element and also brings strangers closer together when they exchange umbrellas and offer protection. The installation creates a sea of reflections. The umbrella as a single piece disappears and takes on a new embodiment in the multitude.