Random International's Rain Room Draws Thousands at Sharjah Art Foundation
Random International's Rain Room, a 2012 installation that uses 3D cameras and digital programming to create a rainstorm where visitors stay dry, has become a permanent fixture at the Sharjah Art Foundation in the UAE. The 100-square-meter environment uses overhead valves that open and close based on visitors' movements, allowing them to control the rain's intensity. The work has attracted thousands at venues including LACMA, Barbican Centre, MoMA, and Yuz Museum Shanghai. Its popularity in the Emirates is partly due to rain's rarity there and growing local interest in contemporary art following the Louvre Abu Dhabi's opening.
Key facts
- Rain Room is a 2012 installation by Random International
- It is now permanently installed at Sharjah Art Foundation in the UAE
- The 100-square-meter room uses 3D cameras and valves to keep visitors dry
- Visitors can control rain intensity by their walking pace
- It has been exhibited at LACMA, Barbican Centre, MoMA, and Yuz Museum Shanghai
- The work attracted thousands of visitors at each venue
- Rain is rare in the Emirates, boosting local interest
- Interest in contemporary art in the region grew after Louvre Abu Dhabi's opening
Entities
Artists
- Random International
Institutions
- Sharjah Art Foundation
- Los Angeles County Museum of Art
- Barbican Centre
- MoMA
- Yuz Museum Shanghai
- Louvre Abu Dhabi
- Artribune
Locations
- Sharjah
- United Arab Emirates
- London
- Los Angeles
- Shanghai
- Abu Dhabi