Event production company DWP Live recently provided projection support for a veterans tribute at the National WWI Museum and Memorial in Kansas City, MO. The installation was illuminated over five nights and included a veteran-honoring artwork projection titled Horizons that visitors experienced while they gathered on the grounds for the 2023 NFL Draft. Here’s a video overview of the Horizons projection installation:
The DWP team used projection mapping technology and a combination of 30 Barco UDX-4K32 and HDX‑W20 projectors to display Horizons across the Liberty Memorial Tower and North Terrace wall. The artwork projection was designed by Kathy Pittala, graphic designer at the National WWI Museum and Memorial, and included quotes from poet Laurence Binyons and General John J. Pershing. The lower-half of the artwork depicted a field of poppies, representing those that sacrificed their lives on the battlefield, while the upper-half of the piece displayed poppies floating over a blue and purple horizon. The poppy flower has been used as the U.S. national emblem of remembrance since 1920, and its use in the installation represented the transition toward a hopeful future.
“Our team is always grateful to work on projects like this that use state-of-the-art technology to honor those who have served our country in a powerful way,” said Danny Whetstone, Founder and President of DWP Live. “We were proud to once again partner with the Museum and Memorial on this special installation and can’t wait to see what other unique opportunities are to come with this partnership in the future.”
This marked only the second time that a special light projection has been used in place of the standard lighting for the Tower, both of which were done in partnership with DWP Live. The first installation was in 2018 as a commemoration of the 100-year anniversary of the Armistice of 1918 that brought an end to WWI. This inaugural installation not only demonstrated the unique ways the Tower can serve as a channel to spread the important messages of the Museum and Memorial, but it also helped solidify DWP Live’s expertise and reputation as a leading event tech company.
“Since the Armistice Day projection in 2018, it has been a dream of ours to harness this technology and light the Memorial again in a special way for visitors near and far,” said Chris Wyche, Vice President of Facilities, Operations Management and Technology at the National WWI Museum and Memorial. “The DWP Live team was essential in bringing the artwork to life, and we hope to continue creating unique ways to honor our country’s heroes in the future.”
In tandem with the Tower lighting, lapel poppy pins were handed out to VIPs, super fans, and media throughout the event. Additionally, one of the nightly projection lightings was led by Paris Johnson Jr., an NFL Draft prospect (now with the Arizona Cardinals). Julian Kaplan, principal trumpet for the Kansas City Symphony joined for two evenings for a performance of “Taps,” a historical bugle song originating from the Civil War often used in memoriam for fallen soldiers.
Further information on this one-of-a-kind projection installation, please visit https://theworldwar.org/horizons
Further information from DWP Live: www.dwplive.com
