By transforming LES houses a constant stream of new gallery spaces segregated from the existing tenants, Cloudburst’s intention was not to alienate ourselves from the community we were entering, but to recreate a familiar setting that was open, albeit locked, to the public. Cloudburst was a two-part performance that doubled as a formal gallery, and transformed throughout the duration of the show. The gallery interior began as a seemingly conventional bedroom: the contents of the room were salvaged neighborhood throw-aways and contributions from local artists and designers. While visible from the street-side, the bedroom was impenetrable and uninfluenced by the public — a metaphor for the former Canal Chapter. A number displayed on the glass directed callers to an answering machine, which enabled them to communicate indirectly with inhabitants. The doors opened for the second portion of the show, inviting the public into the bedroom. The bedroom became a display for market where all of the once sacred items were thereby commodities, listed on a checklist.
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