The UAE has brought yet another marvellous art installation, this time in Sharjah, for rain deprived residents. Sharjah now has it's very own room where you can go and experience rainfall. But there is a bigger catch. The room is equipped with motion sensors, therefore, as you move around the room, the rain will not fall on you at all. You will leave the room completely mesmerised and dry.
A bespoke building, Rain Room, has come to Sharjah as a part of Sharjah Art Foundation’s initiative to promote art in the country. The new art, created by Random International, provides an immersive experience of continuous rainfall. When visitors enter the room, they are directed to navigate intuitively and carefully through the dark underground space in order to protect themselves from the downpour. As the visitors walk through the room, which uses 1,200 litres of self-cleaning, recycled water, their movements trigger motion sensors that pause the rainfall when their movements are detected.
Rain Room was launched at The Curve, Barbican, London (2012) and then presented at the Museum of Modern Art, New York (2013), Yuz Museum, Shanghai (2015) and Los Angeles County Museum of Art (2015–2017). It is now permanently and exclusively housed in the Middle East through the efforts of Sharjah Art Foundation
Tickets and Timings
Tickets:
Tickets are sold on site.
- Adult: Dhs 25
- Student: Dhs 15 (up to 22 years-ID required)
- Teachers: Dhs 15 (ID required)
- Children: Free admission (up to 5 years)
Timings:
- Saturday - Thursday: 9am-9pm
- Friday: 4-11pm
- Ramadan: 9pm-12midnight
Image credit: Sharjah Art Foundation