para | pluie
From the French: Parapluie = umbrella
Subdivided into “para” and “pluie”
para: locally: at / temporally: during / transferred: against
pluie: rain
Theme: Worries, fears, feelings of insecurity
The idea for this installation came to me about a year ago. I found a black umbrella lying on the floor. The umbrella was broken - probably by the wind - and had been thrown away by its owner. I immediately thought of safety; the umbrella as a symbol of protection. Since then, I have been collecting broken and forgotten umbrellas on my daily walks. On rainy and very windy days, this once came in very handy. After that, I found a few broken umbrellas. Over time, the idea developed further. I thought to myself that there must be other people who think about the above-mentioned topics. I started a survey. Everyone was allowed to write down on a small index card what was bothering them, what they were afraid of or what was worrying them. I then used these cards to integrate them into the installation.
(Note: These cards are all written in german language. Some say “ I am afraid of war. / I'm afraid that I won't be able to protect my children. / I am afraid that other people will see behind my masks and that I will be defenceless. / I am afraid when I sleep.)
Structure/idea of the installation
The broken umbrellas were all collected from the street or from garbage cans. I did not destroy them myself. They symbolize protection. For the proverbial shielding. Every defective umbrella has lost its function, its protective mechanism. Each of these umbrellas is representative of a person who no longer feels this protection due to worries, fears or feelings of insecurity. I have made a pile of them. So that a number of people are metaphorically represented. I attached one of the index cards to a few umbrellas. As if the person who once owned the umbrella, or who no longer feels this security, were speaking or thinking what was written on the card. I display the other cards individually in small frames on the wall. So that many “voices” are visible.
The basic idea is that many people no longer feel safe in this world or are afraid of everyday things. We have been living in times of crisis for a while now. Wars, environmental disasters, political disagreements, social problems, murders in public spaces and other things that everyone may have to deal with in their everyday lives. It all becomes too much at some point. Many people don't dare to talk about their worries and fears. Out of shame or because they are not taken seriously by others. So they hide it. Perhaps also because they don't want to burden or frighten others. However, locking up your feelings and thoughts often does not improve your own situation. Quite the opposite. You learn to live with it while it continues to gnaw away at you.
However, my intention is not to fuel the existing worries and fears, but to acknowledge them and take them seriously. To acknowledge the situation as it is and to respond to it. And to encourage other people to talk about what is bothering them.