Outdoor public art is built and installed to withstand a tremendous beating from the elements, which is why you rarely see a statue topple even in the worst storms. But this shiny red resin bear is only a temporary visitor to Washington, DC, so its hosts at the Phillips Collection were understandably concerned for its safety in the face of an expected hurricane earlier this week.
So they did some old-fashioned storm-proofing, covering The Bear (by Xavier Veilhan, whose steel shark was featured here a few weeks ago) with sheets of plastic and tying it with ropes attached to stakes in the ground.
Fortunately, although the storm produced heavy rain and strong winds, The Bear came through it unscathed and is currently standing guard at the intersection of 16th and Q Streets, NW. Veilhan’s show at the Phillips opens on November 3 and runs through February 10, 2013.
Photos by Sarah Osborne Bender via the Phillips Collection Blog
The Finch and Pea 