FYI.

This story is over 5 years old.

Entertainment

Luca Agnani, Projection Mapping Extraordinaire, Brings His Light Art To Africa

After finishing his digital maps of classic van Gogh pieces, Agnani travels south.

Palazzo Comunale, Fermo via

Since we last spoke with Luca Agnani, the Italian digital artist’s animations of classic van Gogh paintings had elevated him to a new tier of international recognition. His showreel appeared on the stage screen of a major Dutch game show when its host posed van Gogh trivia questions to one participant, and the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam offered Agnani an exhibit last November, when the video, as described by the museum, became a “modest YouTube hit.”

Advertisement

These animations were auxiliary to his repertoire, an aside to his primary medium: projection mapping on buildings-- more specifically, world-renowned pieces of architecture. Italian cathedrals, UNESCO-protected monuments, art museums—he distorts their faces indiscriminately, reimagining and engendering new personalities with his visuals.

At the end of last year, he won third place in a projection mapping competition at the Circle of Lights Festival in Moscow. Since then, the artist has been quiet. Naturally, we decided to reach out and see what noise he’d be generating across 2014.

When we finally got in touch, he was hurried, catching a flight to the African continent, which he’s traversing this month to accompany an Italian airline’s promotional campaign in various countries.

The Creators Project: At the end of last year, you placed third at the Circle of Lights festival in Moscow. How do you approach participating in a competition differently from doing a project you've been commissioned for?

Luca Agnani: The Lights Festival in Moscow was something unexpected as it happened quickly. All the participants had only two weeks to accomplish a job and I was also guided to work exclusively on architecture.

In most of the work that I’m commissioned for, I can still move freely, and I have always work on deadlines so I’m used to it. Perhaps, for this reason, it went well.

What were some of the aesthetic goals you wished to accomplish with Moscow's Museum of Modern Art?

Advertisement

The museum is very impressive. As soon as I saw it in pictures, I envisioned the columns as its legs. Then, the main intention was to make it move towards the public. For the rest, I have tried only to enhance its architecture.

But how do you know if your work has actually "enhanced" it?

More than alter it, you provide a light on the soul of the architecture.

What's your process when it comes to working on new buildings?

If the timing and the structures permit, the intent is to connect the architecture to its history. Over the years, I have worked on structures with deep historical roots, like the Sanctuary of San Michele near Foggia, the Duomo of Catania and the Duomo of Amalfi, which have allowed me to not only distort the buildings but also to tell their story. The work I did on the Civic Tower of St. John, for example, was during the Feast of Witches, so the intent was to create a disturbing work.

Personally, I really like working on churches. In Italy, there are so many, from all eras and with different influences. I think it's a nice way to re-evaluate our historical heritage.

What tools/computer programs do you rely on?

The programs I use are 3D Studio Max for modeling, AfterEffects and Flash for the effects, and Premiere for editing.

It seems like digital mapping is becoming more and more prominent in international visual arts circuits, especially in Europe. How do you foresee the future of digital mapping projections?

Advertisement

I think the future of this technique lies in advertising, where in place of old billboards there will be entire buildings illuminated by ads that distort the building and make them appear to collapse. Light has the power to attract the attention of all people.

Who are some of your favorite digital mapping contemporaries you've encountered recently?

In Italy, I met Roberto Fazio, a true guru of the trade. In Moscow, during the Circle of Light Festival, I had the good fortune to share those days with the Brazilian 3D-mapping guys, the team from Videomapping Hungary, the Canadian, Julien Abril, the Turk, Cihan Zengin, and many other professionals—now friends—that work in video mapping.

What is it about these artists that stimulates you? What do you look for in a good digital mapping projection?

I like the minimalism of Cihan Zengin, the use of colors by young Brazilian 3D-mappers, the interactive experience by Roberto Fazio, the technique of Videomapping Hungary… I look to be lost in a projection, to be enchanted by what it offers.

Your animations of van Gogh's work turned out to be wildly popular, garnering you international attention and an exhibition at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. Do you have any similar animation projects lined up?

Animating the paintings van Gogh paintings was a project I undertook only out of curiosity and passion—maybe that's why I liked it, and why it became very popular. Soon, I will start work on a restored painting by an important Italian Renaissance painter, who, for good luck, I’ll refrain from naming.

Advertisement

Do you have a planned date for when this work will be completed?

It's planned for the month of June.

As for your projections, what's next? Anything we'll see in 2014?

Throughout the month of March, I’ll be on board a ship traveling around Africa. I'll make a video mapping on the "palace" of the ship. It’s a new type of job for me and it’s definitely exciting.

Once back, I will continue to work mainly on Italian architecture, but I hope to have the opportunity to participate in other international festivals. They are the most beautiful and important experiences for growth, and not only from the professional point of view.

Can you tell us more about the Africa project?

The Italian aircraft carrier, Cavour, is making the rounds through African cities to promote Italian brands. One of these brands contacted me to make a video mapping show on the aircraft carrier itself. Without too much thought, I agreed. The stages will be in Lagos, Dakar, Casablanca and Algeri.

Keep up to date with Luca Agnani over at his website.

Follow Johnny Magdaleno on Twitter: @johnny_mgdlno