Behin Ha’s “Gather and Separate” installations in Billund and Myldrefilet, Denmark, were created to support the 2020 Trekanfest event in the Danish Triangle region. The project is a continuation of Behin Ha’s 2019 “Coshocton Ray Trace” installation in Coshocton, Ohio. Installed in late August, the installations served as diverse performance and gathering spaces for the Trekanfest festival.
Each installation is comprised of nearly 400 painted, net-like woven straps that stretch from the ground to the edge of the roof. Where the straps meet the ground, they curve inward in a wave-like fashion, creating a series of cellular, porous spaces. While the surface of the installation, formed by the straps, separates these individual spaces, the porosity provides visual permeability between them. The interplay between the linear top anchors and the curving ground anchors results in nuanced and complex conditions of visual overlapping, density, and transparency. The installations’ vibrant orange hue creates a focal point, inviting curious passersby to engage with the work.
The installations were built by a team of volunteers led by the owners and professional construction contractors. The assembly process is straightforward to enable community volunteers to participate in the installation. After the anchors are installed at the edge of the roof and on the ground, the painted, net-like woven straps are pulled taut between the pre-designated anchor points at the top and bottom and secured in place. The twist in the straps, resulting from the difference in the top and bottom anchor locations, renders the installation more transparent at eye level and increasingly obscured at the top.
The design was influenced by Behin Ha’s reflection on the nature of social gatherings during the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020. Considering the conflicting desires for people to gather and the epidemiological need for people to remain isolated, the installation attempts to capture the tension between gathering and separation by creating multiple interconnected but separated and isolated spaces.
The installation project was a collaborative effort between Behin Ha, the owners, and a team of volunteers, demonstrating the collaborative and participatory nature of the project.
Project Information:
Project Type: Temporary Installation
Project Location: Billund, Denmark
Architect: Behin Ha
Project Year: 2020
Photography Credits: Ard Jongsma, Johnny Madsen
Owner: Trekantomraadets Festuge, Danish Arts Foundation, The Culture Foundation of Southern Denmark
Construction: FANGO Building Team, Lennarth Hoejgaard, Dennis Brandt Leth and a team of volunteers organized by the client
Billund “Gather and Separate” Site 1: 160m2
Billund “Gather and Separate” Site 2: 250m2
