Listening to the Rain

I found a new art piece at the Phoenix Art Museum two weeks ago that I thoroughly enjoyed.  I'm going to try to convey this to you even though it's one of those things you really have to experience.  You enter a darkened room and you hear the pitter-patter of rain drops and as you are hearing it you see a small scattering of white lines appearing on the walls.  As the rain gets harder, more lines appear and then there is a little thunder and the lines flash a little. Finally the rains slow and the lines start to thin out.  It had a sort of calming effect.  I walked out of the room and read the description sign and learned that the recording of the rain was not rain at all.  It was a large choral group snapping their fingers for the light rain, clapping their hands or slapping their legs for the harder rain and stomping their feet on boards for the thunder.  I went back in the room to listen again and sure enough, I could hear all those things.

When I found out that the artist who created this piece was going to talk about her work, I decided I wanted to hear her so, last Wednesday evening I went to hear Magdalena Fernandez from Venezuela speak about her works.  That's Ms. Fernandez seated to the left and next to her is one of the curators of Latin American art who helped with translations.  I also captured Amanda Cruz the museums Director and CEO standing to the far left.

All of her works are large scale and very tactile.  She said she enjoys things that can be touched or experienced in some way.  This particular work has an unusual name, "2iPM009".  She has had exhibits in museums all over the world.  I'm glad I got to hear her speak about her work.  This particular piece will be at the Phoenix Art Museum until December 31st of this year.