Digital Projection, a specialist in laser projectors, supplied 38 projectors to support a new immersive art experience set within Amsterdam’s Noorderkerk Church, a beautiful and architecturally significant 17th-century Protestant church. The show, Vincent meets Rembrandt: The Untold Story, opened last year and will run until 2027. It tells the story of how Rembrandt van Rijn’s paintings inspired Vincent van Gogh’s greatest works.
The exhibition demonstrates Rembrandt’s effect on van Gogh’s artistic path by seamlessly blending stunning imagery with a fascinating audio narration of van Gogh’s letters to his brother Theo.
A stunning setting
Hennie Jaspers and Marcel Vos came up with the idea of creating this immersive experience to explore Rembrandt’s importance in Vincent’s artistic process. Bart van Bokhoven, owner and creative director of Pronorm, a Dutch audiovisual integrator, embraced the initiative and took the lead on the unique project.
“We were going through the diaries of van Gogh and the letters to his brother Theo, where he explained how he really admired Rembrandt’s work, what light and colours the artist was using and his way of painting,” says van Bokhoven. “This inspired the storytelling.”
Pronorm chose the Noorderkerk Church for the site as both van Gogh and Rembrandt practised their faith there, albeit 200 years apart. The idea was to use immersive images and audio to lead visitors through the story. The projectors from Digital Projection were crucial in this venture, expertly portraying van Gogh’s and Rembrandt’s paintings and sketches while a voiceover brought van Gogh’s letters to life.
Due to the project’s length and the lack of an on-site technician, the integrator required durable, maintenance-free projectors to visually represent the artists’ relationship. Van Bokhoven had previously used Digital Projection technology and was impressed with its endurance and low failure rate:
“I have done some installations previously with Digital Projection kit, and have never known one of them to fail,” says van Bokhoven. “For a big installation like this, I needed projectors we could rely on.” The team chose Digital Projection’s E-Vision Laser 11000 4K-UHD, E-Vision Laser 10K, E-Vision Laser 8500 and M-Vision Laser 21000 WU 1-DLP laser projectors, which are renowned for their reliability and minimal maintenance requirements.
The higher image quality and brightness of the projectors, as well as Pronorm’s requirement for constant output across all projectors, supported the decision. Van Bokhoven adds: “We also had to make sure that all the pixel sizes and light output of all the projectors were nearly the same, so every visitor can experience the untold story of van Gogh and Rembrandt the same way.”
Fred Meijer, regional sales manager for Benelux at Digital Projection, says that the good lines of communication between manufacturer and integrator was another key reason that Digital Projection laser projectors were selected: “Bart contacted us directly, without any party in between,” Mejier says. “For customers like Bart, it’s very important for us to have short lines of communication, as when our customers have any questions they need answers fast.”
Reliable technology
Pronorm added 12 Fohhn Audio DLI-130 beam steering active column speakers, five Fohhn AS-ss ASX subwoofers, and 7 x VIOSO Anystation Media 4K media servers in addition to the 38 Digital Projection laser projectors that display compelling material across the ceiling, walls, and floor.
The content creation company, MP Studios, played a critical part in conceiving the original tale and converting it into aesthetically appealing pictures.MP Studios created seven separate films, each of which was projected onto a different portion of the cathedral. To do this, the company prepared a full overview of the whole tale before breaking it down into seven sections, which were then supplied to the projectors through the VIOSO media servers.
The majority of the programming is projected onto the church’s massive walls, but the presence of church poles, columns, and detailed features offered a distinct problem. To tackle this challenge, Pronorm chose to display the main video material onto the walls, ceiling, and floor, while using the columns to create an ambilight effect. Van Bokhoven emphasises the importance of this method, saying, “The ambilight cast on these details greatly helps to enhance the immersive experience.”
Another interesting problem the integrators encountered was finding a means to install the equipment discretely in order to preserve the sanctity of the Noorderkerk Church, which is still in use and hosts weddings and services on weekends.
“We had to strategically position the equipment in a way that would remain hidden from the church-goers’ view,” Bart van Bokhoven explains. “This aspect proved to be challenging as we needed to create a semi-mobile installation that would adhere to the standards set by the church’s managing board.”
In order to meet the challenge, the technical equipment was hoisted 23 metres up a tight 60-by-60cm stairway and put in the church attic. 12 projectors were mounted on the floor and 26 were positioned in the ceiling. The cables are hidden from view, allowing a smooth and unnoticed setup.
Van Bokhoven says: “With the support of our partners, we did a really great job; everything works perfectly. When I read the visitor reviews, it is evident that people really relate to the story and are captivated by the breathtaking visual experience, which is delivered discreetly and reliably by the high-impact Digital Projection laser projectors.”
Earlier this year, Digital Projection also supplied 29 projectors for the Eternal Mucha exhibition by Grand Palais Immersif, Paris. The exhibition celebrates the work of Art Nouveau designer Alphonse Mucha and uses cutting-edge technology to create an immersive, multi-sensory experience.
