DURHAM, U.K. — Artist Maria Rud and projection specialist Ross Ashton brought their AniMotion concept, a blend of digital art and live music, to Durham Cathedral here. It accompanied a performance by percussionist Dame Evelyn Glennie, flautist David Heath and music producer and DJ Dolphin Boy.
More details from The Projection Studio (www.theprojectionstudio.com):
Rud’s live painting was mapped to the wall of the Cathedral Library which borders onto the cloisters – the first time that this part of the stunning Romanesque architecture had been used as a canvas for a projected artwork. It was also the first time that the public had been able to walk on the cloisters grass.
Rud and Ashton collaborated with Durham Cathedral to produce the AniMotion work, which included nine pieces of original music some written for this performance and nine painted AniMotion sequences.
Rud’s projected canvas measured 16 meters wide and was created by Ashton’s tech savvy wizardry and encyclopedic knowledge in the art of projection. The giant images were beamed onto the wall by a single Panasonic PT-DZ21K machine, fed via a laptop from two cameras focused intently vertically downwards onto the light box on which Rud worked.
The fluid and organic paintings unfolded in real-time on the Cathedral Library wall in rhythmic harmony with the music. Rud also integrated the arched window of the Chapter House wall into some of her pictures along with an eclectic collage of other characters and scenes during the 75-minute show.
“Something different was promised, something life-affirming was delivered,” enthused David Whetstone in The Journal, one of a number of local media portals who gave the event positive reviews.
It is the third AniMotion collaboration between Rud and Ashton. The worldwide launch of the AniMotion Show took place in Cambridge in September 2013, and the next was at Edinburgh’s St Giles Cathedral in January.
Ashton comments, “The show adds a completely new and different dynamic to the music and was extremely well received by everyone who saw it. We have received lots and lots of positive feedback.”
They intend to expand the idea and show how it can work in numerous locations and environments both indoors and outdoors and with a wide range of different musical genres.
The cloisters at Durham were lit by a scheme designed by Ranald Neilson that complimented the projection and highlighted the fantastic architecture, which dates back to 1093.
The projector and AV gear was supplied by Warpro, the audio system came from Warehouse Sound and lighting equipment from Metro Ecosse, all based in Edinburgh.
The production was supported by the Arts Council of England and Durham City Councilors.
It was the fourth time that Ashton has produced digital art at Durham Cathedral – following his large format projection titled Crown of Light on the main exterior of the building for the Durham Lumière events of 2009, 2011 and 2013.
