Fringe Arts: Habitus

On Monday, we managed to catch the last day of Ann Hamilton's habitus, a Fringe Arts installation. And it's not exaggerating to say that just like that, a somewhat dull and purposeless day was filled with strange and hilarious spectacle and delight.



The installation consisted of many huge cylindrical curtain shapes hanging in a warehouse open to breezes from the Delaware River, suspended from pulley systems that you could either spin around yourself. Either the wind or your motion made these curtains billow out like sails or like giant skirts.



There were a number of very serious art-appreciators there, but I have to say that for us the main reaction was delighted laughter and amusement. Imagine that light and happy feeling of twirling around in a flouncy skirt - but times a thousand.



Here is a shot of the rigging that each curtain was on, just to give you a better sense of how it worked. You can just about see the pulley that was connected to a dangling rope pull.



So fun. And plus, we got to see a helicarrier in the Delaware on our way to the exhibit.

What delight came out of nowhere for you recently?