The Cistern Welcomes an Art Installation That’s a Force of Nature

Seek shelter underneath Buffalo Bayou Park when Rain: Magdalena Fernández at the Houston Cistern opens December 10.

By Katharine Shilcutt  11/1/2016 at 12:45pm

HOUSTONIA

A digital rendering of Rain: Magdalena Fernández at the Houston Cistern.

IMAGE: COURTESY ELMORE PUBLIC RELATIONS

YOU ONLY HAVE ONE MORE MONTH to visit the magnificent Cistern under Buffalo Bayou Park—at least in its current state. As of December 10, a monumental new art installation will be moving in thanks to the efforts of the Buffalo Bayou Partnership and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.

Rain: Magdalena Fernández at the Houston Cistern will transform the 87,500-square-foot Cistern and its 221 two-story-tall columns into a unique gallery space onto which artist Magdalena Fernández will project her abstract video, 2iPM009, a Mondrian-inspired work that is meant to evoke a rainy night.

The nearly two-minute video, projected throughout the entire space, will be accompanied by an acoustic soundtrack edited by Fernández herself, featuring members of the a cappella Slovenian choir Pertuum Jazzile, whose snaps and hand-slaps and gentle drumming are meant to mimic the sounds of a rain shower. Get a taste of what to expect with Pertuum Jazzile’s astounding cover of Toto’s “Africa” on YouTube—and now imagine that echoing throughout the Cistern, with its 17-second reverberation time.

“This iconic space both reminds us of Houston’s architectural history and signals the city’s future in revitalizing its urban fabric,” said Gary Tinterow, director of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. “We are very pleased to organize the inaugural art project for the Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern, and in particular with Magdalena Fernández’s beautiful and evocative installation, which was acquired for the Museum’s permanent collection in 2012.”

Rain will be on display at the Cistern through June 4, 2017, with viewing hours Wednesdays through Fridays from 3:30 to 7 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. As with previous visits to the Cistern, reservations must be booked for Rain in advance. Admission is $10, or $8 for seniors and students (with ID) and for kids aged 9 to 17. (Children under the age of 9 are not allowed in the Cistern, so make arrangements if you’ve got little ones).

In keeping with MFAH and Cistern traditions, admission will be free to Rain on Thursdays, though you’ll still need to make reservations. To do that, purchase tickets for other days, or find out more information, head to buffalobayou.org. 

http://www.houstoniamag.com/articles/2016/11/1/the-cistern-welcomes-an-art-installation-that-s-a-force-of-nature