Room Tones

“Room tone is a location's "aural fingerprint” . . . Every location has a distinct presence of subtle
sounds created by ambient sound sources and the reverberation of those sounds within the
location . . . Room tone is recorded during the sound recording of a film production. It is used to
match the production sound track so that it may be intercut with the track and provide a
continuous-sounding background.”

“A convent may refer to a community of priests, religious brothers, religious sisters, or nuns, or it
may refer to the building used by the community”
-wikipedia

An exhibition reflective of our contemporary atmosphere, Room Tones is also a return to an early
and influential site of western art. The Catholic convent of St. Cecilia in Greenpoint was once a
robust institution, home to a steady then slowly decreasing number of nuns until it was closed and
vacated in 2008. Like many empty storefronts throughout New York City, the situation of this
particular convent is a barometer of the complex social and economic changes taking place in
Greenpoint and its neighboring L train enclaves. Spiritual views and orientations aside, Father
Krische, pastor of St. Cecilia, has generously worked with organizer Nathan Spondike and his
team making Room Tones an event that will reinvigorate this unique 97-year-old building into a
testament of the new thoughts and ideas emerging from artists around it.

Room Tones is a collaborative exhibition of 25 highly diverse artistic peers within the vacant
Convent of St. Cecilia. Reflections of the nuns' former usage of the space permeate this
momentary rehabitation. Inside this once highly private and exclusive residence, the artists have
each been given an individual room to provide an intimate and singular view of their work. In
addition, a selection of further pieces will be displayed in dialogue throughout the dining hall,
parlor, basement, bathrooms, and hallways. Various video works from selected contributors will
be screened along with opening night music performances by the San Francisco based “Bulbs”
and Brooklyn duo “Sister Big Stuff” in the convent’s unique prayer chapel.