On 9 October, 1991, 1880 people simultaneously erected 3,100 yellow umbrellas across two inland valleys in Japan (Ibaraki) and the USA (California). The ephemeral project was conceived by the artist duo Christo and Jeanne-Claude, one of whom was present at each site, and was designed to highlight the differences and similarities in the ways of life and use of land in both countries. The “free standing dynamic modules”, as the artists termed them, remained in situ for eighteen days for visitors to enjoy their “invitational inner space, as houses without walls”. The land was restored to its original condition thereafter and the umbrella parts recycled.
