W139

Eric von Robertson
C.A.R.L. Centre for the Advancement of Recreation and Leisure

24 November 2007 - 2 January 2008
W139

http://www.w139.nl/e/index.html

HM: In terms of the exploratory nature of your work and the tendency for the work to integrate itself into various contexts, whether they are urban or rural, how has your move to Europe affected your work?

EvR: In the Netherlands particularly, I 've found it awkward to work in public space, partly due to the density and the feeling that everything has already been determined; the space is fully occupied or complete. I did the Cloudburst piece, where I collected umbrellas that had been abandoned after a rainstorm in the city of Den Bosch. I was trying to map the city after a storm using these castaway shelters or light architectural elements. This is an element that enters into other prototypes like the Desert lodge and threads together an essential form of active shelter used for getting from here to there ' in between places.

HM: The umbrellas are left everywhere?

EvR: These are gale force winds, so afterwards you see umbrellas throughout the city