The river is by no means domesticated, and though it may seem pleasant, it is still capable of destruction and ruin. The Dorment Beast is an installation designed to remind us of that power. The river is captured and suspended from the gallery space roof in the shape of the Floodway walls with thin burlap, invoking sandbags used to hold back water. This is an imperfect fix, and water seeps through the bags and onto the floor, altering the microclimate of the room and imprinting itself upon those who move through it.

The form of the structure is defined by a re-bar skeleton system suspending the burlap. A water system enclosed in a hidden reservoir distributes water along the re-bar skeleton. The display cases at the entrance show information detailing the Winnipeg’s flooded history and the design of the Red River Floodway, as well as the details and motivations behind the Dormant Beast.