Astera goes beyond at 2023 LUMA Festival

Photo credit to Van Zandbergen Photography, with courtesy to Playmodes Studio.

Light artist Eloi Maduell from Playmodes Studio used 288 Astera Titan Tubes to realise his spectacular, immersive lighting installation BEYOND at the 2023 LUMA Projection Arts Festival staged in New York.

The lighting fixtures were supplied by Wireless Film Lights who was also a sponsor of the 2023 LUMA event.

Since 2015, LUMA has been an intersection between art and technology; a popular annual event with inspiring, cutting-edge, and fun large-scale lighting and projection art.

BEYOND was one of seven works presented this year. It was the only piece that did not involve a preexisting building and projection mapping. Instead, the ‘travel without moving’ experience was constructed from the ground up. Its 111ft long, 14ft wide venue was built from scaffolding, and featured 32 arches of light. Each of these arches was rigged with 9 Titan Tubes.

BEYOND’s geometrical architecture transforms the built space into a container for the abstract language of light and sound. The long tunnel construction makes the lighting vanishing points visible via the 32 arches, reinforcing depth effects and a prevention of scale mimicked by the soundscape which is heard through a cluster of speakers along the tunnel.

Three Titan Tubes were rigged to each side of the arch, with three on the top. In this case, they were run wired to ensure perfect synchronisation; this adaptability of the fixtures was pivotal in achieving the desired creative impact.

One side of the tunnel was draped with BP screen material diffusing PAR lights that were rigged behind the screen, programmed to pulse in unison with the Titan Tubes and the soundscape. The soundscape played through 16 speakers and 4 subs, creating the waves of light and sound that transported people through their own spatial and metaphysical experience.

Commenting on the Titan Tubes, Eloi stated: “The colour reproduction is amazing and the luminosity impressive.” He described them as “super lights” that were able to beautifully and elegantly reproduce the effects and drama needed to energise the artwork.

Greg Hodges, Wireless Film Lights’ President, concluded: “Supporting arts initiatives like the LUMA Festival allows us to contribute to the cultural enrichment of our community whilst also showcasing the incredible potential of Astera LED products in enhancing artistic expressions.”

playmodes.com 

astera-led.com