The 59th International Art Exhibition - La Biennale di Venezia, titled The Milk of Dreams, opened on 23 April 2022, with the participation of 213 artists from 58 countries in the main exhibition. The Biennale also includes 80 National Participations in the historic Pavilions at the Giardini, the Arsenale and in the city centre of Venice.
The Hong Kong collateral event, titled Angela Su: Arise, Hong Kong in Venice created an ambitious piece that draws viewers through to the show’s centrepiece, a documentary set against the backdrop of the US anti-war movement of the 1960s, seamlessly blending fact and fiction to question the way humans deal with hyper-politicised realities.
Lighting and AV designer, Pietu Pietiäinen at Pro Light Oy wanted to achieve, technically and artistically, the highest quality of projection and sound within the challenging constraints of the environment: “It was crucial we used a borderless screen to create the effect of a ‘floating screen’ for this install,” he says. “The equipment really needed to withstand humid conditions, and be reliable and durable enough to last the whole length of La Biennale.”
AV Stumpfl’s Fullwhite® screen (400cm x 225cm) was the perfect choice in not only creating a dramatic floating effect for the displayed content, but being easily mounted and maintained within the confines of the small room where the documentary is being shown.
Available in many different ratios and sizes, the Fullwhite screen, a pure design product, is suitable for numerous applications with several mounting solutions so that the screen can appear to float in space, or connect together seamlessly to build projected walls or cubes. The robust Flex White Grey MO screen surface material was chosen for the impressive front projection, due to its overall quality and flame retardant characteristics.
“We knew we could rely on AV Stumpfl to realise the vision of the artist – the high standards of the company’s products make them an ideal choice for the rental and staging industry,” says Pietiäinen.
Alongside AV Stumpfl’s Fullwhite screen, Pietiäinen opted for a Panasonic PT-FRQ50 4K laser projector, delivering 5500 lumens. The solution displayed a 15 minute video loop in Apple ProRes format, with custom 3.1 sound, played back from a scheduled Mac mini M1.
AV Stumpfl’s global marketing advisor, Hans Stucken, believes the versatility and reliability of the Fullwhite screen made it the perfect choice for this creative install: “It’s an honour for our screens to be present at such a prestigious and long running art exhibition which welcomes half a million visitors. The borderless screen really lends itself to the compelling footage being shown at the exhibition – we are thrilled our Fullwhite screens have been chosen for such an exciting application.”
Angela Su: Arise, Hong Kong in Venice, Collateral Event at the 59th International Art Exhibition - La Biennale di Venezia, opened to the public on 23 April and runs until 27 November 2022, at Campo della Tana, Castello 2126, 30122, Venice, Italy.
Picture: Installation view of Angela Su: Arise, Hong Kong in Venice, 2022
Picture Credit: t-space studio, courtesy of M+, Hong Kong.