Micromonumental Mapping: The Essence of Creation
Last month, TXI went on a day field trip to Wonderspaces, an immersive and interactive art show in Austin. Wonderspaces is an incredible indoor space featuring 16 different artworks, divided between the ground and upper level. My class and I were guided by the mobile interactive show guide for each piece, which gave us a thorough description of the artwork, along with background about its artist. Between installations, sculptures, VR, and projections, Wonderspaces plays with colors, shapes, lights, and visuals to tell a story and immerse the audience in reflection and interpretation. My personal favorite? Definitely “Micromonumental Mapping, The Essence of Creation” by Limelight!
This artwork was originally created by Limelight with the intention to be displayed on the Opéra de Lille in France as part of the Lille Video Mapping Festival. However, due to the pandemic, the festival was postponed and Limelight decided to downscale their projection and project it onto a 1:40 scale 3D model of the building instead.
Video mapping involves the projection of video or animated content onto a small-scale model or miniature monument. This technique allows artists to transform the appearance and perception of these miniature structures, creating immersive and visually captivating experiences. My stepdad is an archeologist, and I remember learning about micromonumental mapping two years ago during his field summer camp at the Ancient Roman excavation of the city of Cosa, in Tuscany, Italy. He had explained to me that this technique is utilized in archeology to represent, on a smaller scale, specific historical, cultural, or environmental features of a geographical area.
As the interactive guide explained, the video map was inspired by the Ancient Greek divinity Apollo, god associated with various themes such as archery, music, truth, healing, and light. By incorporating symbolic and physical elements of the Opéra de Lille, Limelight’s piece aims to convey the complexity and multifaceted nature of Apollo’s attributes. In high school, I studied Classical literature, and read about Apollo’s power in many texts. As I observed the piece, changing shape and colors by playing with light and shadow displayed on the monument, it took me back to my high school self, reading mythological texts. I was mesmerized by how the piece made me feel. It told a story about the supernatural powers that a Greek divinity had in the myths of these ancient populations. A monument was not just architecture or a mere building, but it was imbued with religious, metaphysical power.
The music played in the background (see video) was hypnotizing, and went hand in hand with the projections. Apollo was revered as the god of music, poetry, and the arts. Musicians, poets, and artists would seek his inspiration, believing that he could impart creative talents and skills. He was also known to be the god of Sun and light, and the light and shadow in “The Essence of Creation” seemed to display natural phenomena such as clouds, wind, and water. In Ancient Greek philosophy, nature was the medium through which gods would express fate, incorruptible and superior to any human’s decision. The video mapping effectively portrayed this all-encompassing power that could create and destroy all living things.
“The Essence of Creation” was an amazing experience, and it demonstrated how augmented reality can immerse the user (me) in deep reflection. The main feeling I had was an intermission between calm and anxiety, following the shapes and colors on the building. The light perfectly falling on every crevice and shape of the monument was both satisfying and uncanny, and it seemed like the magic spirit in the projections opened up portals leading to a parallel universe. The video mapping enhanced the three dimensionality of the miniature, bringing it to life.
This piece was mesmerizing to say the least, and perfectly defined the immersive formula including audience, storytelling, and emerging technology that we have learned about in lecture. As it did not have a physical active participation from the audience, and thus lacked interactivity, we identified as the “spectator” participant. However, this piece engaged my mind in a way that was incomparable to the other pieces seen at Wonderspaces. In terms of the attributes to greatness, the experience was beautiful, authentic, unique, and inspirational. The attribute of being welcoming depended on your interpretation. I was lucky enough to know a lot about Greek mythology, but I wish the interactive guide explained more about the story behind it for an audience that was unaware.
