Modulo Pi, a provider of media server solutions with a user-friendly design, is celebrating the new Museum of Art + Light, which opened in Manhattan, Kansas, US, in November 2024. This modern art museum presents a distinctive blend of traditional, digital, and immersive artworks, and its immersive gallery employs advanced technology to bring art to life in a debut exhibition celebrating the Impressionist Pierre-Auguste Renoir.
Integrated by Diversified, the AV setup includes over 100 Epson video projectors powered by Modulo Pi’s Modulo Kinetic media server, delivering a captivating visual experience.
Established by art collectors and entrepreneurs Tracey and Robert DeBruyn, Ronald Bowman, and Stanley Zukowfsky, the Museum of Art + Light (MoA+L) is committed to showcasing art through a unique combination of immersive, digital, and physical experiences in a 100,000-square-foot facility.
Cutting-edge AV
In addition to a fine art gallery and the first permanent space for NFTs, MoA+L features an immersive gallery equipped with cutting-edge audio-visual systems, integrated by Diversified, a prominent technology solutions provider. The inaugural exhibition, celebrating the work of French painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir, offers a fully immersive experience powered entirely by video projection.
Covering 37,000 square feet, this show animates the artist’s work alongside photo and video archives, delivering a vibrant tribute to his work and legacy. The immersive experience uses a large-scale audio-visual system featuring 108 Epson EB-PU2010B projectors, predominantly with ultra-short throw lenses, complemented by Meyer’s advanced audio technology, integrated by Diversified, ensuring seamless coordination throughout the Museum.
To power the 188-million-pixel digital canvas, MoA+L chose Modulo Pi’s Modulo Kinetic media server. The setup features three Modulo Kinetic Designer workstations and 23 Modulo Kinetic VNode servers, representing the largest deployment of Modulo Pi’s media servers in the US to date.
Sydney Bouhaniche, MoA+L’s creative director, says: “With Modulo Kinetic Designer, we create concepts and perform video studies that include projector placement, pixel size control, and brightness optimization.”
Rudy De La Uz, sales team leader at Diversified, adds: “Modulo Pi’s state-of-the-art media server solution was instrumental in bringing Museum of Art + Light’s vision to life for the immersive projection mapping project. We aimed to transform Sydney’s vision of traditional artwork into a dynamic digital experience that would captivate visitors and redefine how art is perceived.”
Creating a cohesive experience
Implementing the projection mapping was essential for creating a cohesive experience where the show content was meticulously synchronised with the gallery’s architecture. In this stage, the teams from MoA+L and Diversified utilised Modulo Kinetic’s cutting-edge warping tools, with guidance from video mapping experts Baptiste Jazé and Vladislav Tolic.
“Setting up Modulo Kinetic Designer, along with warping and geometry correction, was an enjoyable process with their expertise,” says Bouhaniche. “The training with Baptiste was exceptionally professional and comprehensive.”
Using Modulo Pi’s Warp Remote companion app, multiple operators can collaboratively warp the 34,000-square-foot projection surface from their laptops. This efficient method greatly speeds up the warping process.
“The intuitive user interface and real-time warping tools enables the ability to efficiently adjust projections on the fly, ensuring that each piece of artwork was displayed with optimal clarity and impact” says De La Uz. “The platform’s robust performance handled multiple high-definition video streams simultaneously, creating a cohesive and immersive environment without any latency or technical glitches.”
After the projection was set up, MoA+L used Modulo Kinetic’s UI Designer to create control panels, simplifying operations and ensuring efficient installation management. “I find Modulo Kinetic’s versatility exceptional,” says Bouhaniche. “In terms of playback, I particularly appreciate the intuitive control through the tablet-based UI, which makes managing the system remarkably easy.”
De La Uz adds: “Modulo Pi’s comprehensive media server solution was the key to achieving the Museum’s goals of delivering a groundbreaking digital showcase. Their technology not only met the complex technical requirements of the project but also elevated the artistic presentation, resulting in an unforgettable experience that seamlessly blended the worlds of traditional art and modern technology.”
Last week, Modulo Pi shared details of its contribution to the reopening ceremony for the iconic French landmark, Notre-Dame de Paris.
