(SPOT.ph) If there's anything that you remember from school field trips as a child, it's probably that the number one rule in museums is that you can't touch the artworks. This list goes on: no flash photography, no selfies, keep a safe distance, no stepping beyond the yellow or red line, et cetera. But a massive work of art—roughly two meters by two meters and the shape of a knitted bonnet—is on display at Robinsons Galleria Ortigas in Quezon City from January 23 to July 12. You're encouraged to take photos of yourself "wearing" it. "Austrian Mountain Cap," as it is called, is an out-of-the-box sculpture by renowned artist Erwin Wurm. You can check it out for free at the second floor of the mall, near Bratpack and H&M.
The large ski cap is made from polyester resin and cloth, and is part of Wurm's performative sculpture series of giant hats that he started back in 2010. For him, caps symbolize protection—and a bonnet is a necessary gear among mountaineers to ward off cold temperatures. In the same vein, the "Austrian Mountain Cap" is "a performative piece with the aspect of protection against physical and psychological threats," he said in an interview with Cobo Social.
This art installation is part of Robinsons Malls' campaign to bring art closer to the public. Robinsons Place Naga in Camarines Sur unveiled “Tree of Life” in January 2018. This two-storey fiberglass sculpture that also functions as a display surface for video projections was created by Filipino-American artist Jefre Manuel-Figueras. A year later in September 2019, Robinsons Galleria South in Laguna unveiled “Heaven’s Gate” by the same artist. In 2020, Robinsons Land Corporation is also launching Artablado (art+entablado), which is the property developer's platform to raise awareness about Filipino creativity.
Erwin Wurm's “Austrian Mountain Cap” is on display at 2/F Robinsons Galleria, EDSA corner Ortigas Avenue, Quezon City.
