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Project Summary

BARTKRESA studio’s new 360-degree projection-mapped sculpture, Sviatovid, premiered at the beginning of 2019, and toured throughout the year.

Inspired by both a ninth century Slavic deity, and a medieval sculpture of the same name, Sviatovid is a fifteen-foot-tall faceted totem. The histories of the deity and medieval statue are the subjects of debate among historians, but BARTKRESA studio took inspiration from the all-seeing nature of the figure. With four faces, Sviatovid was not omniscient, but could literally take in the world in an all-encompassing way. BKS’ mesmerizing art piece is on a unique intercontinental journey to bring people together. The studio projects a library of animations onto the sculpture as a reflection of Sviatovid’s distinct perspective and journey.

Sviatovid premiered at Integrated Systems Europe (ISE), the largest AV and systems integration show in the world. ISE took place in Amsterdam, from February 5-8, 2019. Stationed at the entrance to the RAI convention center, Sviatovid greeted the more than 80,000 ISE attendees. The world premiere at ISE was the beginning of a global journey for Sviatovid.

Immediately after the close of ISE, Sviatovid traveled to Lublin, Poland, where it was exhibited at the Centre for the Meeting of Cultures for two weeks. The CSK is a unique cultural and educational institution. Sviatovid crossed the Atlantic for its US premiere, at InfoComm in Orlando. While Sviatovid appeared at the Luma Projection Arts Festival, in New York, a variation of the sculpture materialized at InfoComm India, in Mumbai. Throughout 2019, Sviatovid appeared at three audio-visual industry trade shows, one museum, and one arts festival.

Sviatovid is award worthy because BARTKRESA studio bridged design and technology to create a high-end work of art that supported a variety of unique experiences.

Sviatovid represents both an artistic and technical evolution in BARTKRESA studio’s work. BKS employed technological advances in the development and realization of Sviatovid, including incorporating 3D printing into their process for the first time. They created a scale mock-up of the sculpture, and used a pico projector to test designs. This allowed them to adjust the sculpture and projection designs in cooperation with each other. Because the projections and surface developed simultaneously, the use of new technology challenged and elevated the end product.

BARTKRESA studio challenged themselves to improve and customize the content for every presentation of Sviatovid. At ISE, Sviatovid was a show activated by the night. Because the sculpture remained covered during the day, the removal of the cover and illuminating of the sculpture became a ritual for welcoming the light. At InfoComm Orlando, BKS housed the sculpture in a branded lounge space. In addition to drawing the focus to Sviatovid, the low overhead lighting and meditative show soundtrack that enveloped Sviatovid created a complete break from the fast-paced trade show. Sviatovid stood out from the high-stimulation technical displays as a refreshing space. This work of art bridged the technical and artistic elements of the digital art genre to create an experience that engaged AV industry professionals in the art, rather than the technology.

Unlike many of Sviatovid’s appearances, which took place in tradeshow settings, the shows at Luma Festival took place in an ornate and beloved nineteenth century church. BARTKRESA studio adapted the show to the audience and location with the input of the students from the BARTKRESA Academy of Projection Design. In an homage to the striking architecture of the church, the students of the BARTKRESA academy created a pre-show inspired by the church spire, pipe organ, and stained glass.

Bart Kresa founded the BARTKRESA academy of Projection Design in 2019. The first class of students included four recent art school graduates from three countries. They worked closely with BKS’ senior designers and animators, studying their meticulous design process. The culmination of the summer session was to present their work at a global arts festival. The appearance of Sviatovid at Luma Festival was an apt challenge and platform for the students.

BKS challenged the Academy students to implement everything that they learned about the projection design, animation, and installation process into the Sviatovid show at Luma Festival. Each student created a looping animation inspired by a prominent architectural feature of the church. Bart Kresa held them to the same standard as the senior designers. Their three-minute-long show was a prelude to the BKS professional show, and he did not want the audience to notice a difference in quality. Holding the students to a professional standard taught them to importance of high production value to creating mesmerizing and innovative art.

Sviatovid succeeded in creating a transformative experience within the church without projecting on any of the existing architecture. The installation of Sviatovid on a prominent stage in the center of the vast sanctuary created a defining experience for the Luma Festival. With the support of Luma Festival, Panasonic, WorldStage, and Dataton, BARTKRESA studio and BARTKRESA academy filled the church for forty fifteen-minute-long shows. Sviatovid was a highlight of the festival, supporting the Luma Festival’s dedication to attracting world-class artists to elevate the medium of projection design, and to inspire, and create unique a unique, innovative experience for their community. The combination of Sviatovid’s dramatic shape and scale with bold projections, a vast library of content, and a custom cinematic soundtrack created both an unparalleled opportunity for the BARTKRESA academy students, and a memorable experience for Luma guests that resonated both in person and on social media.

Inspired audiences in four countries flooded social media with images of the other-worldly sculpture, calling Sviatovid a “mesmerizing...world told by light and sound.”