Mind the Gap
2011
Nylon fleece, polyester, metal grommets, rope, zipper, spray enamel
80" x 60"
New York, NY

Mind the Gap is a protest banner that converts into a suspended shelter. The shelter appropriates the police barricades that are ubiquitous in protest areas as its support structure. A hybrid between a hammock and a sleeping bag, the shelter is made of impermeable material on the outside and fleece on the inside. Once a person is in the shelter, he or she can zip the sling closed along the long edges of the sheet to further protect from the weather. Suspending the shelter also keeps the person in it warmer and dryer than if he or she slept on the ground. Because this shelter depends on our everyday urban environment as its means of support, it does not require a frame, making it exceedingly transportable and versatile.

Check out DSN Radio's podcast featuring audio from the Storefront for Art and Architecture's exhibition Strategies for Public Occupation opening in which Mind the Gap was featured and the artist recited a manifesto for the piece