I found this photograph in the back cover of a book about world crafts. A short caption explained that it is a raincoat used by shepherds in the mountains of Galicia (Spain). I’d be curious to know whether this exceptional garment is still in use today -the book is a few decades old- or perhaps it belongs to a tradition of straw crafting no longer available. What drew me to this object was its austerity. I understand its form as a manifestation of a rigorous order not difficult to infer even from a photograph. There is a sense of precision in its regularity that relates more to the world of abstraction present in design and art than to the pragmatism of self-taught, remote-mountain, handcrafting. I would appreciate the opportunity to speak with the maker of this object. I would ask him how this raincoat performs in the harsh and ever-rainy climate of Southern Galicia. I would want to know how long it takes for this garment to dry after a heavy storm, and how it repels water to keep the body dry. I would be curious to know if his original intention was to create a disposable or a permanent garment and what type of fibers did he use to make it. I would ask whether the overlapping layers that define this cape-like raincoat are the result of trial and error or the product of conscious design. This is one object capable of redefining design.
