PROJECTION MAPPING
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cathedral is reimagined
Curtains evoked a spiritual journey, merging the tangible and virtual world
elevated into abstraction and conveyed emotionally. In the narrative of grain processing, the individual elements of the installation intertwine so skilfully that the boundaries between analogue and digital become blurred,” Hölscher notes. The project was a shining example of a museum culture that is not only open to innovative concepts, but one which actively formulates them itself. Moving on to his next project, Curtains at the Video Mapping Festival, Hölscher highlights where he found inspiration for the powerful projection. “I noticed the modern façade of the Notre-Dame de la Treille on a walk a few years ago. Since then, I had the desire to realise a work on this architecture. “What makes it special is not only the aesthetics of its external form, but also the way it lets daylight into the interior of the building. I took up this peculiarity in my concept and translated it into the idea of asserting the translucent surface.” The architecture of the cathedral becomes a membrane, behind which an unreachable world is concealed. It is not materially tangible for the religious community, but remains in a virtual sphere of the imagination. In this way, an analogy unfolds between the spiritual spaces of the digital worlds. Both places of longing are full of signs in which people search for knowledge, certainty and hope. “The work performs like a pop song,” Hölscher continues, “opening up a space for interpretation through its allusions and gestures. This effect is enhanced by the grandiose sound design by Thomas Werner, whose sound art makes the peculiar grid of the façade vibrate. Ultimately, it breaks with convention, stretching time to end in decelerated silence. Without the sound, the audience is abandoned, thrown back on itself.” Hölscher emphasises the importance of colour quality when it comes to getting projection mapping right. “With the support of Christie, we
Arabia. Situated in the Hejaz, a region that features prominently in the rich history of Islam, Al Ula was a market city on the historic incense route that linked India and the Persian Gulf to the Levant and Europe. Its immediate vicinity boasts a unique concentration of precious artefacts, including well-preserved ancient stone inscriptions which demonstrate the development of the Arabic language, as well as a concentration of rock dwellings and tombs. In other words, the site offers a dream challenge for projection mappers seeking to bring its archaic structures to life through their art. Creative Technology was recently brought in to resurrect the cultural tapestry of inscriptions from long-gone civilisations, allowing for a dynamic and immersive exploration of the historical narratives etched into its rocks. The event commemorated Jabal Ikmah’s induction into the prestigious Unesco Memory of the World Register. Here, attendees were invited on an immersive journey, unravelling the enigmatic tales and wonders of Jabal
were working with 12-bit colour depth. I was surprised that the imagery looked as colourful as it did on the screen, which is unusual for projection mapping in an urban environment.” When looking to the future for this dynamic space, Hölscher points to the topic of AI. “We used AI-generated images as part of the work on the cathedral, but not in an obvious way as I didn’t want to do AI mapping. Using it subtly is key. We also have real-time technology, which has had a significant impact on how quickly you can produce and alter your work for live events. “I’m hoping for the future of projection mapping to be more meaningful,” Hölscher muses, “where it’s not all about being the fastest and loudest or trying to squeeze as many effects into five minutes as possible. I want to see people developing concepts that are meaningful and play with time in a different way to amaze people.” ARABIAN LIGHTS Al Ula is an ancient Arabian oasis city located in the Medina Province of Saudi
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