Challenge
Create digital media artworks to be showcased on two different urban media displays with the overarching goal of expressing the theme of music without the use of sound.
The Displays:
• Elbphilharmonie Media Wall in Hamburg, Germany
• Media Art Nexus Wall in Singapore
What made this project especially challenging was that the displays had unique, and arguably abnormal dimensions. For example, the Elbphilharmonie wall was embedded with two doors and a ticket booth, so these sections of the wall were unavailable for rendering. My team and I also had to work diligently against strict deadlines. My focus on this project was the visual style, I also created most of the assets that were used in the animation.
One might ask: how do you portray “music” without the use of sound?---Naturally, such a problem is open to a wide variety of interpretations. Since my team members were of Chinese background, we decided to use elements of their culture as a basis for our design. In particular, we found it fitting to consider styles used in traditional Peking Opera; a form of Opera originating from 18th century China that combines music, visual arts, and dance. Our end goal: to share a slice of Chinese culture with another seat across the globe.
Early Iterations
Key Takeaways
This challenge was an excellent teaser for design work in the real world: not only was our project under dimensional constraints, but timeline constraints as well. Working under tight restrictions forced us to adapt. My biggest takeaway from this challenge was that listening to feedback, especially in the early stages, is crucial for the timely completion of a design.
Below are some pictures and videos from the ELMAN premier in Hamburg and Singapore.
For more information about the events click here.
