Julie Bertelsen

Rain - as a covering and uncovering material

Rain is in a reincarnated circle of water particles. When it appears it falls from the sky and we are aware of it before it even comes because of the threatening dark clouds that contains the rain.When rain falls from the sky, it looks like thousands small transparent light bulbs. It’s only visible with a background or a surface and the presence of light. Rain never comes alone in a certain smaller area, even though they fall individually. Rain is in itself a cover, covering a larger area of land. A raindrop’s character is to be described as a rich form that changes due to the surface it hits. There’re two types of raindrops; average precipitation about 0,5 mm and the drizzling which is a bit smaller. I find the ‘normal’ raindrop fascinating because of the differential in the form it takes when hitting different surfaces. Etc. when it hits the ground it will flatten out into a pond, but if it hits a leaf it will hold its’ strength and tension.

Rain is temporary, it can exist for hours but it will stop at some point. The sound of rain can be very calming and even the smell can bring out a releasing feeling in people. At the same time rain is often used as a melancholy atmosphere.

Raindrops are so organic that they can change on whatever surface they hit. When they hit another surface with water they start to create a grid of circles.

The body is working as a cover for the rain, and the rain covers the body.

When rain falls on windows they partly keep their form and partly flattens out and rolls down the win-dow. On a human body most of the raindrops will be absorbed into the skin, the rest will work as on smooth surfaces. When it rains on plant the raindrops lie upon the surface and keep their form until they meet another drop then they’ll melt together and create a little pond.

Rain can be like a zoom in a camera - a magnifying glass, it can also blurr the surface and in that way it can cover or un-cover for something.

I think a raindrop contains several fascinating properties and abilities. In relation to the main theme, when walking outside in the rain it surrounds you as a cover. You-environment (umbrella etc.) -rain.

But when the ‘environment’ disappears and only the object (you etc.) is presence, rain un-covers. Rain is very aesthetic, poetic and abstract. It doesn’t only reveals the running mascara but provokes a certain mood in people as well.