SpY Installs Hundreds of Metallic Rescue Blankets in a Former Arms Factory

In Oviedo, Spain, a 6,000-square-meter installation of metallic emergency blankets transform a former arms factory this month. “Blankets 2” extends from Spanish artist SpY’s ongoing series of monumental kinetic works (previously).

The natural light from the building’s first-floor windows and giant clerestory bounce off the folds of hundreds of blankets, glinting gold on one side and silver on the other. Documented with water on the floor, the reflection mirrors the suspended array, creating a sense of depth and further openness.

The artist centers the dialogue between location and theme in “Blankets 2” and calls attention to the building’s history as a weapon manufacturer by filling it with objects intended conversely for medical treatment and care.

SpY is fascinated by sensory perception and the way simple objects can be transformed through repetition, light, scale, and contrast. Air flow through the space adds delicate motion to the panels, generating a gentle rustling noise that accompanies viewers through the exhibition

Find more on SpY’s website and Instagram.