I was driving on Melrose Boulevard this afternoon and as I approached the fabulous hot pink Paul Smith building I noticed that there were loads of black umbrellas on the roof. I pulled in and went to enquire within. The art installation is part of a series of pieces by italian artist Mattia Biagi, there will be another installation further down Melrose later next week and the whole thing will culminate at an old Farmers and Merchant's bank in downtown LA at the end of the month. Luckily for me, the artist was actually in the shop when I was there so we had a chat and he explained the piece to me. Biagi is a striking chap, tall, tatted with big black pieces and has a cool handlebar moustache (my english sense of propriety prevented me from taking a picture, I think sometimes that worrying about capturing the moment detracts from the moment itself--or, I am shy--either way, no picture). The piece is called Storm of Life and was prompted by old wives tales and superstitions, particularly in this case, the idea that one shouldn't open an umbrella inside. Son the piece progresses, it begins with cover building exteriors with loads of black brollies but will culminate at the bank with a million umbrellas filling the entire building inside--yes a million. You will be able to walk between them and feel them and come face to face with ones own superstitions. The impact of the work is emphasized by the irony of buildings covered in umbrellas here in Los Angeles, I shall be surprised if we see rain for a few months now-this was a conversation point amongst some of the shop staff. He was delightful and very happy to talk with me about his work. His site gives some broader sense of his work and mission, he definitely seems to mine the symbolic realm for critique and inspiration. I only had my iPhone and couldn't get a good enough position to capture it, so these images are from the site.
Comments