Jul 20, 2021 - Dec 12, 2021
Meiji Memorial Picture Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
Summary
“We Will be Together Again” is centered around two ideas: humanity’s new relationship with technology and nature, and humanity’s trajectory once it emerges from quarantine. During 2020, technology was vital in maintaining socialization. Whether for work or communicating with loved ones, technology helped the world stay connected —even when doors and borders were shut. Many people also found solace in nature. They ventured outdoors, and tended to their gardens, taking a moment to appreciate the living things around them. The projection begins with a sunset as humanity steps into the unknown. The hands reaching toward each other represent the global community hoping to reconnect soon. They are surrounded by flowers, showing the blossoming future. The flowers, along with the skylines of Tokyo and Dallas, show the hope of bridging cultures once again. The hands then dissolve and rise up to reveal a winged figure. This represents humankind —now as one— reaching out for that hopeful tomorrow. The projection ends with a sunrise as we begin a new day and a new chapter for the world. The final quote is then revealed: “We may be apart now, but soon we will be together again”.
Process
Alumni and students from the ATEC LightSquad teamed up with alumni from Texas State University and the University of Texas at San Antonio to create a projection for the 17th Annual One Minute Projection Mapping Contest, held in Tokyo, Japan. In the course of one month, the group held meetings over Discord, and assembled the project from beginning to end primarily in a virtual setting. After researching the Meiji Memorial Picture Gallery —where the contest was being displayed — the visual team began developing ideas for a visual style that would tie together notions of technology and nature, as well as Japanese and Texan symbols. The audio team worked asynchronously to compose the song that served as the backbone of the projection.
The song, “There is Hope for You Yet”, blended elements of layered synthesizer and the organic sound of clarinet; a handshake between machine and human. This interplay between the digital and analogue sounds culminates in an aural sunrise —an element later integrated visually into the journey of the projection.
Once the music was finalized, the visual team broke up the song into segments to begin the animation stage of the project. Here, 2-dimensional techniques, such as motion graphics and rotoscoping, were blended with 3-dimensional fractal designs and particle physics to bring the music and story to life.
Once the music was finalized, the visual team broke up the song into segments to begin the animation stage of the project. Here, 2-dimensional techniques, such as motion graphics and rotoscoping, were blended with 3-dimensional fractal designs and particle physics to bring the music and story to life.
The submission of the projection happened in two stages, an initial review by the panel of judges, and later, a full-resolution submission for live presentation. In mid-December, the piece was projected in Tokyo and filmed for the team.
This project brought together a community of artists who were eager to create meaningful collaborative work in the midst of a global pandemic. These artists gained valuable production skills, while representing Texan culture overseas. This competition served as the launch point for future projects by the LightSquad.
ATEC LightSquad Credits
Safwan Chowdhury, Omar Davila, Melanie Estes, Paul Hinderliter, Amir Naqi, David Rake, Sarah Rodriguez, Noah Shackleford, Maritza Soriano, Kenny Tentri, Will Russek
Faculty/Staff Credits
Roxanne Minnish, Andrew Scott, Vic Simon