L'OssitdBurn
There is something so wonderful about being at the really small festivals. By the end of the weekend you’ve met almost everyone, and the community vibe is excellent. But one of the things that I love the most about these small gatherings, is that you get to experiment.
When you do a big contract, there’s definitely an aspect of having to do things well, professionally, and like you planned. But at a smaller festival there’s a lot more room for play.
All of Saturday during the day it just poured and stormed. Although it was nice to have the dome as shelter, I wanted to projection map it that night, and I was holding my breath that it would clear so that we could do some of the tests I’d wanted to for so long. Luckily, at about 6 o’clock the storm broke, and the evening became balmy and calm, a perfect night for experimentation.
One of the people I was most excited about playing with was
, an incredible video and laser artist from Montreal. We’ve worked together before and I always love what he does. He’s written his own software called alc_freeliner that essentially allows him to draw onto 3D objects in space and then project onto those lines.
alc_freeliner screenshot, VJ UserZero
Although he’s mapped several
of mine, I’ve wanted him to play with the dome for years. I love the geodesic shape that it has, and I really wanted to see what he could do with it.
The setting at L’OsstidBurn was perfect. There was a tower set up in the middle of the field, and I made sure that the dome was exactly where it needed to be to make mapping easy. And I was not disappointed.
Photo by Jenn Zawadzkas
Photo by Jenn Zawadzkas
Most of Saturday night was just spent with us in a tower, me squealing in delight as we played with shapes and patterns. The dome worked just as good as I thought it would. The panels are a perfect projection surface, and the fabric is light enough that the projection is vivid from the inside as well. The whole thing glowed, and the activation of the shape was just stunning.
alc_freeliner screenshot, VJ UserZero
Archimedes has been talking for so long about projecting on these domes, and to watch it happen was so gratifying. Tests like these allow us to problem solve and figure out what needs to happen to make these into large-scale installations. I was so thrilled with how it looked and turned out, and so grateful to have VJ UserZero take the time to do some experimentation.
Photo by Jenn Zawadzkas
alc_freeliner screenshot, VJ UserZero
alc_freeliner screenshot, VJ UserZero
Thanks to all the organizers and collaborators for having me at this wonderful event. It was so special to play and experiment with you all. Next up, heading to Eclipse this weekend!
