Micromonumental Mapping, The Essence of Creation by Limelight was originally created to be displayed on the Opéra de Lille in France for the Lille Video Mapping Festival that was set to take place in April 2020. Due to COVID 19, the festival had to be postponed so the artists decided to downscale and project it onto a 1:40 3D model of the building. Two years later, Limelight was finally able to realize their large-scale vision at the Lille Video Mapping Festival.⁠

Inspired by the national divinity of the Greeks, Apollo, who has been recognized as a god of archery, music and dance, truth and prophecy, healing and diseases, the Sun and light, poetry, war and death, the artwork conveys this complexity by using the symbolic and physical elements of the building.

How was this artwork created?

First, a 3D model of The Opéra de Lille is created by taking a physical scan and importing that into the computer. Next, Limelight’s team of artists work together to develop an artistic concept. Finally they work together and as individuals, using advanced 3D creation softwares like Cinema 4D, to create a completely custom, original artwork with its own musical accompaniment, all developed in house. This process can take anywhere from weeks to months, and in the end produces something wildly original and formatted only to the building as a canvas.

How does the light component work?

Typically, Limelight’s projects use highly specialized, commercial projectors that produce 20,000 lumens of light and above. They are stacked on top of each other, using anywhere from 10 to 100 units and require entire teams to set up and operate with special requirements like media servers and climate control. The wonderful part about Micromounmental Mapping is that this project uses a projector that you could find at your local audio visual retailer. It is similar to what you would purchase if you wanted to set up a home theater.

Why did Limelight create this?

This artwork was originally created to be displayed on the actual Opéra de Lille in France for the Lille Video Mapping Festival that was set to take place in April 2020. Due to COVID 19, the festival had to be postponed to a later date. Since the festival was scheduled for near the start of the outbreak that no one saw coming, the artwork had already been completed. So the Limelight creative team came up with the idea to print the 3D model of the building to still share this artwork with the world, via a live stream premier and now at Wonderspaces.

What are some unique facts about this building?

The physical model is a replica of the actual building in France, just 40 times smaller. Construction on The Opéra de Lille started in 1907 and took 5 years to complete. The beautiful building underwent a renovation in 1998, and is an active home of the arts as a member of the European Network for Opera, Music and Dance Education, and of Opera Europa.

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Limelight is a group of artists that have been creating 3D projection artworks around the world for over 20 years. Some of their team members have been working in this field since the birth of projection mapping and have presented at light festivals and corporate events worldwide.


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