Whether it’s deep dish pizza, a giant metal bean or the blustery conditions, Chicago is known for many things. Even though it may not be the city that never sleeps, the Windy City has been busy adding yet another thing to the list of reasons to visit, as it is now home to the world’s largest permanent projection mapping system, which was recently installed by Obscura Digital.
Chicago’s theMart, a famous art deco structure that was once the largest building in the world, recently saw its south façade transformed with over one million lumens of projection from 34 Christie Boxer 4K30 projectors. The installation has been dubbed ‘Art on theMart’, and is the latest project undertaken by Obscura Digital, with the firm having previously been behind projection mapping projects on the Vatican and the Empire State Building.
“When we took on the project we knew it was a huge building, but I would call it a happy accident when we realised it would be the largest permanent projection mapping display of its kind in the world,” says Will Chase, head of communications, Obscura.
“I think that added to the normal pressure you feel when you take on a project, but with a world class team like ours, we can accomplish practically anything.”
The Obscura team got right to work by creating a digital 3D model of the building from a laser scan to account for the architectural features of theMART and to determine the projector configuration. Obscura also developed a content management solution to provide show control, and to allow theMART curatorial team to easily upload and render the projection mapping content. This included masking the windows with special software, so the projectors wouldn’t shine light into the building interior.
To house the 34 Christie Boxer projectors, Obscura worked with Vornado and architectural firm Valerio Dewalt Train Associates (VDTA) to design a custom enclosure located across the Chicago River.
“The projectors are housed in an architecturally integrated custom enclosure with a glass curtain wall and all the required mechanical and electrical systems,” says Nathan Houchin, senior technical producer, Obscura Digital. The enclosure protects the projectors from the elements, as the show is scheduled to run from March to December, five nights a week (Wednesday – Sunday).
The main channels have 16 projectors each, stacked to increase brightness, with the centre channel, covering the centre tower, having two projectors stacked. All are blended together to create one seamless image.
With such a demanding show schedule, Obscura knew that it needed high-brightness, reliable projectors capable of managing not only the giant façade, but also the ambient light from street lights, traffic, other buildings, and light reflecting off the Chicago River itself. After performing projector tests, the Christie Boxer 4K30 projectors were selected.
Diana Thater, Zheng Chongbin, Jason Salavon and Jan Tichy – all renowned contemporary artists − were commissioned to create work for the inaugural program, which launched on September 29 and will remain on view through December. Art on theMART selected and commissioned the work by Thater and Chongbin, while Salavon and Tichy were commissioned by the Terra Foundation for American Art and confirmed by a Curatorial Advisory Board comprised of several of the Chicago’s most distinguished arts and culture leaders.
The reaction to the installation has exceeded expectations. “People were surprised and delighted — and blown away — by the projections, as they transformed theMART’s façade into a massive artistic canvas. We’re very proud to have worked on a project that will bring a new dimension of art and creativity to Chicago for years to come,” says Chase.
“TheMART and Vornado Realty Trust are thrilled with the success of the inauguration of Art on TheMART, a gift to the people of Chicago, who widely embraced this monumental new platform for public art,” said Art on theMART executive director Cynthia Noble.
“We are proud of the works by the initial risk-taking artists—Diana Thater, Zheng Chongbin, Jason Salavon and Jan Tichy—and look forward to welcoming a range of perspectives over the next thirty years.”
She adds, “We thank the City of Chicago, especially Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events Commissioner Mark Kelly, 42nd Ward Alderman Brendan Reilly and our launch partners Obscura Digital and the Terra Foundation for American Art.”
The Christie Boxer 4K30 projectors performed ‘fantastically,” says Chase, “and everyone was thrilled with the outcome.” Christie Boxer 4K30 projectors are designed for live events, with 30,000 lumens in one of the most compact form factors on the market.