Visual Terrain, Inc. is pleased to announce the successful lighting design collaboration between Visual Terrain and Alessandro Arena of Catania, Sicily, Principal Lighting Designer for Ashes and Snow, at the Nomadic Museum, Santa Monica Pier.
Visual Terrain was responsible for the execution of the original lighting design and additional lighting design of several spaces new to the exhibition in Santa Monica.
“The opportunity to work with Gregory Colbert, Shigeru Ban, Gensler LA and the entire project team on this stunning project was an honor.” Remarked Lisa Passamonte Green, Project Manager for the Visual Terrain design team. “Given the fast track schedule, our first priority was to assemble a proficient team of professionals capable of responding to the unique lighting requirements of this extraordinary structure and photographic essay. Together with Electrosonic and ShowPro we were able to bring our deliverables together with maximum efficiency and expertise. As a team we worked with the contractor RMS and Carol Electric to implement the design” concluded Passamonte Green.
When asked about the design approach, Edward S. Marks, Associate Principal Lighting Designer for Visual Terrain commented, “The architecture and the photography were so perfectly married to one another, and it made sense that the lighting design would illuminate the union. The blending of cool and warm pools of light created an environment that encouraged guests to enter and immediately feel welcomed. Some of the new elements we designed were the lighting for a new theatre space and retail space added to the Santa Monica Pier location. The lighting design for the main theater juxtaposes the warm architecture and cool pathways of the surrounding galleries.”
Elaborating on the original lighting concept for Ashes and Snow, Project Designer Kristie Roldan explained, “The design called for an integration of the photography into its surroundings through use of pure color and a rhythmic pattern of light in the galleries and surrounding areas. The lighting created a natural frame for the large scale photographs in the museum. We were able to carve a space for the artwork in the galleries using the textures and natural tones of the materials within the Nomadic Museum’s breathtaking structure and design.” Concluded Roldan, “It was truly a pleasure to be involved in lighting such an intrinsically creative space and creating an accessible environment for the Ashes and Snow exhibit,”
The Nomadic Museum is a 56,000-square-foot temporary structure housing more than 100 large-scale photographic works and three accompanying 35 mm films by Gregory Colbert. The building is composed largely of recyclable and reusable materials constructed of 152 steel cargo containers stacked in a checkerboard pattern designed by renowned architect Shigeru Ban.
The exhibition, Ashes and Snow, will be displayed through May 14, 2006
For more information, please visit the Ashes and Snow website at
www.ashesandsnow.org
2006 Thea Award Recipient
