BrollyFlock is the third project of the Flux Foundation. Commissioned by Insomniac for a debut at the Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas in June 2011.  A renegade flock of umbrellas, creates a fun and inviting installation, producing light, shade, mist and fire. It is a dancing swirl of mixed materials, anchored by over-sized handles to a wide base. The lowest umbrellas feature periodic misting systems and rain, while the highest hold beautiful flame effects. By day the BrollyFlock is a refreshing landmark, by night its internal glow and fiery top enliven its surroundings.

Umbrellas are tools created by humans to create shelter. They are extensions of ourselves. They protect us and extend our personal space. In our handles, they isolate us from the environment around us, including not just the weather but each other as well.The umbrellas of BrollyFlock have in turn gone “renegade” and have escaped our control. Out of our clutches,   they have begun to develop their own nature. They react to their environment and to each other. They play with water and light, transcending their beginnings to soar into the sky and exclaim in fire. In the process, they create relationships between each other and form a community amongst themselves.

What once people used to protect themselves and isolate themselves, in this piece create community, both amongst themselves and festival-goers; each forging a singular identity via distinct  individual members. The sheer spectacle and whimsy of the piece disarms individuals, creating a common moment of wonder. Sparking a connection and inviting a community to form beneath the flock. Though no longer fully in control individuals, can create a dialogue with the piece interacting through over-sized buttons found on each handle.

 

Design: Peter Kimelman, Rebecca Anders, Jess Hobbs et. al.
Model / Renderings: Peter Kimelman, Nicole Aptekar, Ed Henry et. al.
Technical Systems: Don Cain, Paul Showalter et. al.
Photographs: Marc Heitlein, Jess Hobbs