Barco, the technology company focusing on innovative visualisation solutions, is celebrating the launch of ARTE MUSEUM at Dubai Mall. The firm has supplied the technologies for this immersive experience, which has been created by digital media content and technology design company d’strict.
This project marks the first location in the Middle East for the internationally renowned digital art venue.
Inspired by nature
ARTE MUSEUM DUBAI is showing the exhibition ETERNAL NATURE in its 30,000-square-foot gallery space. This show is inspired by the natural world and includes new media works which draw from both natural landscapes and the cultural backdrop of the city. Visitors are immersed in the beauty and power of nature in all of the experience’s 14 zones.
Using digital technology to blur the barriers between the real world, imagination, and hyper-reality, the exhibition transports visitors spectators to the bottom of magnificent waterfalls and takes them to beaches where they can view the aurora borealis. As they move through the galleries, visitors are surrounded by blossoming camellias, rolling waves, bioluminescent creatures in the jungle, and pink storm clouds.
Sean Lee, the chief executive officer of d’strict, says: “It is with great pleasure that we unveil ARTE MUSEUM DUBAI. Our paramount mission is to transport our audience into an awe-inspiring digital realm, meticulously crafted to awaken all their senses. ARTE MUSEUM’s inaugural exhibition in the Middle East is going to become a must-visit experiential attraction for both tourists visiting Dubai and residents looking for cultural activities with their families.”
Ongoing collaboration
d’strict and Barco signed a framework agreement in 2022 that made Barco the exclusive provider of projectors for all of d’strict’s new international digital art museum projects for the following four years.
Three-chip and single-chip DLP laser projector hardware delivery, access to Barco’s Insights Management Suite for global fleet management, and a customised, high-standard service solution that is optimised for all geographies are included in the deal, which is estimated to be worth over €15m in total. The installation in Dubai is powered by 29 UDM-4K22s and 47 G62-W9 projectors and represents a major advancement in the expansion of ARTE MUSEUM.
Ta Loong Gan, executive vice president immersive experiences at Barco, comments: “Through our partnership with d’strict, we’ve cultivated a robust alliance rooted in mutual trust and innovation. Our commitment to providing superior technology and reliable service, coupled with d’strict’s visionary approach ensures that ARTE MUSEUM offers a consistently breathtaking experience worldwide. Together, we ensure that every visitor, no matter where they are, can indulge in the awe-inspiring beauty of digital art.”
Multi-sensory experience
The multifaceted experience also features specially designed fragrances that accompany each piece, and a soundtrack by internationally acclaimed composer Young-gyu Jang.
Jang’s portfolio includes the music for over 50 films and television programmes, including the highly regarded Train to Busan (2016) and Mask Girl (2023). His soundscape is carefully crafted to maximise the impact of each artwork.
The blend of sensory innovation and multiple media technologies, such as projection mapping, multi-image control, and a sensor-based interaction system, creates an experience that is both inventive and charming, uncanny and familiar. In this original concept, the space itself becomes a work of art.
Jin Lee, vice president at d’strict and creative director of ARTE MUSEUM, says: “ARTE MUSEUM pushes the boundaries of innovation to the next level by blending art and technology into a unique digital canvas. Our objective is to trigger all the senses of our visitors to invite them into a uniquely immersive and lasting experience.”
Barco recently released Encore3, its highly anticipated third-generation Event Master platform, and the IO Gateway, which is its first IPMX transcoder. The firm presented these new products at ISE 2024.
