header

header

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

U is for Umbrella


I found this photo online several years ago.  I just love that gigantic umbrella!
When I wanted to use it for my U in the A to Z Challenge, I thought I'd do a little more
investigating on this photo.  As it turns out, The Big Umbrella was a two year project by
Aleksandra Mir.  From 2003 to 2004, she travelled to London, Paris, NYC, Martinique,
Dresden, Copenhagen with the umbrella and documented social reaction.



The umbrella, which was twice the size of the largest men's umbrella on the market, could
shield 16 people from the rain.  But her question was, would 16 strangers really crowd
together under it's protection? 



She says, "Traveling the world with a familiar object of uncanny proportions can have some unexpected effects. While The Big Umbrella proved useful as a tool for plucking down stray balls from trees, its unwieldy size on busy streets turned altruistic motives into harassment. Providing a shelter, it brought some strangers momentarily together, while alienating others, and in its most salient moments, simply amplified the solitude of the bearer."




So, how about you?  If it was pouring rain and someone was nearby with a gigantic umbrella and offered you some shelter, would you take it?  I think I would, unless the owner of the umbrella looked like a real creep. lol.  In fact, I've offered to share my umbrella with a stranger before, but I'm just friendly like that. haha.  Anyway, I want one of these huge umbrellas!  Although, if the wind was really strong, I think it might carry me away like Mary Poppins! :)


If you'd like to read more about the Big Umbrella project click HERE.

I've joined 1900 other bloggers in the A to Z Challenge for the month of April!
We're celebrating the letter U all day, Tuesday the 24th.






♥

68 comments:

  1. Is a really big umbrella Betsy! love the pictures, but you can save it in the purse LOL!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sorry I wanna say you CANNOT save in the purse ha! I have a little umbrella:)

      Delete
    2. me, too! I have one of those tiny ones in my purse...and a bigger one in my car.

      Delete
  2. Guy, that's as big as a studio apartment. That was such a fun read. So glad you took the time to research it and give us the back ground.

    Yes, I would take shelter under an umbrella that size...if the owner looked creepy, I'd back out as fast as I came in!!

    Would make a good Beach Umbrella too, wouldn't it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, in fact, there was a picture of it at the beach used that way! ha.

      I think we actually get a better gauge on just how big it is when it's closed and she's carrying it. The shaft is as tall as she is! lol.

      Delete
  3. That is huge. I wonder what it weighs? I would share an umbrella and have in the past. Of course, not here in Arizona for a long time...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. need rain there? haha.

      I swear it rains here a couple of times a week. We need to share, don't we?

      Delete
  4. I actually love this and would be glad to share an umbrella!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love it, too! I saved the picture long ago, as I said because I thought it was so cool! :)

      Delete
  5. And Chris, when you see this...you need an umbrella like this in Seattle! LOL!

    ReplyDelete
  6. funny thing, I was thinking about which letter it is today and thought of umbrella because it was raining here :) that is one huge umbrella! It would take some muscle to man that thing!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I thought of you and wondered if you had snow like Buffalo and western PA. Then you'd need skis! ha.

      Delete
    2. no snow here, thank goodness!:) just very chilly and rainy.

      Delete
    3. we had freeze warnings here the last two nights! Today was sunny but windy and cold...I guess that's what you can expect tomorrow! ha.

      Delete
    4. yeah I talked to my Mom today and she said the same thing. I moved my pretty tropicals in to the garage :( don't want them to freeze :(

      Delete
    5. Oh, I know...you don't want anything to freeze. They'll be find in the garage. First trip to the garden center and I'm looking for all those pretty things we've been talking about. :) I have a list in my head! ha.

      Delete
  7. I would definitely take the shelter. I hate the rain. In fact It poured here today, and my umbrella was almost stolen from me by the strong wind, not fun. But it amazes me how many people would just go and get wet. I really like the idea of the transformative effect carrying objects can have. We use them in screenwriting all the time, as they are symbols in and of themselves, but also symbols that add texture to the story arc. Very nice Betsy. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree about the objects adding texture to a story...I'm a detailed-oriented person and enjoy noticing all those little things. They add dimension and layers of interest!

      You need this big umbrella, Fred! I'm pretty sure it would keep you dry! ha.

      Delete
  8. I would not huddle under someone else's umbrella, but that's just my OCD. Unless I somewhat knew the person. It also depends on whether or not I did my hair that day. Hmmm...a lot of things factor into this!! What a different post. Love this!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If it was a mime under the umbrella, you'd jump right in there with him! Go on and admit it! hahaha. :)

      At least with this one you could be under it and still far away! lol.

      Delete
    2. That damn mime is back
      Oh I'd take his umbrella and attack

      Delete
    3. violence on mimes
      is probably some kind of crime
      are they a protected endangered species
      even if they are a little creepy?

      Delete
    4. Pffft if they are all gone it wouldn't bother me
      No more mimes would just cause glee..haha

      Delete
    5. Leave the mimes be!!! I'm going to start a protection agency for them. Poor guys!!! If you didn't see them, you wouldn't even know they are there.

      Delete
    6. LOL the mime defendor has struck
      Too bad, those mimes are still SOL

      Delete
  9. Wow no need to go fly a kite with that
    You could take of from your mat
    Then all would go supercalifragilisticexpalidisious as they saw
    And you could even chimeny sweep without a flaw
    A spoon full of sugar might help
    If you need to yelp
    And get brought back down
    I'm done going to Mary Poppin's town
    And it depends on if it was cold
    If I would join under the fold
    If it was warm I would not care
    No matter how rare
    Or how big
    Even if it wasn't a creep or someone with a really bad wig
    Wow rambling on now
    I should stop some how
    Before a second post is due
    And a new project comes from you
    Travelling around trying to find something to shut the cat up
    Sadly nothing will work not even a pup
    So on and on I go
    Think I had one too many spoon fulls of sugar at my show?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'll take my carpet bag
      and stick it on your head!

      hahaha...wow, you're more blabby than blabber tonight
      and that does give me fright
      but you had a movie reference spur you on
      and then you just went to town!

      Delete
    2. LOL a bag on my head
      That would cause dread
      I'll take the rain
      Or hope a dry train
      Or a plane
      Or maybe go down a dry lane
      And blabber I was last night
      But the movie reference did insight
      The blabber in me
      As they always do at my sea

      Delete
  10. What a neat umbrella idea
    I would get shelter from the rain...if the person was not "creepy".
    Hey...if your are going to get a large umbrella...
    you had better "brush up" on the Mary Poppins songs,
    then you could sing to the people under the umbrella...
    maybe you could be just as famous too. 8~)
    Take care,
    Nancy
    P.S. we had "summer" today! but is suppose to rain the rest of the week.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. haha...I don't know...I sing a lot but only when I'm alone. Might scare people away and I'd be the creepy one! hahaha.

      Did you have summer? I saw on the news were the western half of the country was very hot and we are very cold! We're having freeze warnings!

      Delete
  11. oh i would def jump under the umbrella...that one is def huge, omg...but i bet she got plenty of looks that first pic is really cool....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'd share with you. :)

      I've always loved that first pic...SO cool.

      Delete
  12. Oh Besty, leave it to you to find this huge umbrella, along with the fun story.
    You bet I'd be under it. I do feel a bit sorry for the lady with the yellow umbrella. She must feel left out or she really loves her umbrella.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. haha...oh that yellow umbrella is so tiny in comparison, isn't it?

      Delete
  13. I'd love to put this big umbrella through a sunroof and drive down the street, especially if it was a VW.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, that would be hilarious! It would cover the whole car! You wouldn't need wipers! hahaha!

      Delete
    2. So how come we don't see her face?
      Is it YOU?

      Delete
  14. It looks big in the first photo, but its real size is apparent in the photos of it closed. It's huge!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know...when she's carrying it rolled up, the size is amazing!

      Delete
  15. What a great post! I have a small one person umbrella in my car that I love, but my husband put a larger on in my car as well. I have never used it. He would LOVE this big umbrella. He would definitely be the type to walk downtown DC and find a way to make people laugh and get them annoyed. It would be fun to watch from afar.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Angie...go to the link I included in the post. ..I think they tell how to order one!

      Delete
  16. What a great idea!! I must have missed this wonderful art form when it was here in London - never heard of it! But yeah - I'd be under that umbrella in a shot! LOL! Take care
    x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It would have been fun to do the study...visit all of those places and see how people react! :)

      Delete
  17. Yes I would probably scuttle under someone else's umberella. Most of the time I forget mine and just have to run through the drops. Raindrops fallin' on my head........

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. a raincoat with a hood has saved me lots of times...and it's actually more convenient than an umbrella!

      Delete
  18. Oh, that looks like fun! I would probably be hesitant to share a stranger's umbrella, but it does sound like an adventure. Maybe the next time someone offers, I'll take them up on it. Now if only it would rain...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have to say, I looked at the photos from different cities and found myself laughing. Now I want a gigantic umbrella!

      Delete
    2. I would be kind of fun, wouldn't it! And you certainly would stay dry!

      Delete
  19. What an umbrella! I'd go share a space under it if necessary, I think. You never know who you might meet under there.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. good point! might be someone special that you would have never met otherwise!

      Delete
  20. That is SOME umbrella! I'd definitely pop underneath it, if asked, in order to stay dry. I like watch the rain; I don't much like to be out in it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I totally agree! I'd rather be inside, cozy, and watching it out the window!

      Delete
  21. I think I would take cover too.

    Your new side bar photo of you is SO elegant Betsy!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think I would, too! I hate for my head to be rained upon!

      Delete
  22. Hi Betsy .. love the idea of her umbrella project - challenging to hold in the rain, probably not much use here in the UK .. and I never use an umbrella - they always get in the way ..

    Love the Spring moon - cheers Hilary

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Hilary! Can you believe this challenge is almost over? I've really enjoyed your castle posts this month!

      Delete
  23. love your header photo! Missed you for Creative Tuesdays!

    She must've met a lot of interesting people with this umbrella!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Christine! I was too pressed for time this go-around and fitting in the U just added to it! ha. Next time, though. I was sorry to miss it!

      I bet she did meet a lot of interesting people, not to mention going to all those places! What a fun project!

      Delete
  24. I most certainly would walk under it. Don't wanna risk the chance of melting in the rain - lol. Great study you shared Betsy...interesting stuff.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'd invite you to share, Marsha :) yes, you're made of sugar and would certainly melt in the rain! We can't have that now, can we? lol. :)

      Delete
  25. What a great blog you have! So original and interesting to read.
    This umbrella is so big, I have never seen one like that before. Great for the UK though!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. alida ~ thank you so much and you're so nice to visit and leave a comment! I agree...this huge umbrella would be perfect for a rainy place!

      Delete
  26. Stopping by from the A-Z Challenge! It's so nice to meet you!! You have a lovely blog! Definitely following along!

    I love that umbrella!! It's so awesome, I wish I had one that big, lol :)

    http://writeskatedream-jmckendry.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm so glad you stopped by, Jess! and thanks for your link...I'll come visit you!

      Delete
  27. GUAUU...yo me sentiria Meri Poppins!
    iela

    ReplyDelete
  28. WoW what an amazing umbrella! Like you, I would join that owner for shelter if they offered. Hm...I think I feel a children's book coming on...

    ReplyDelete
  29. THAT umbrella might be able to cope with our village's legendary "horizontal rain"! But the accompanying winds might be too much for it.
    Mary Lynn

    ReplyDelete

I'm serving coffee! Stay and chat!
And no awards, please! Your comments are my awards!