Renowned artist Tupac Martir brings holographic, immersive art to life

Renowned artist Tupac Martir brings holographic, immersive art to life for James Lavelle’s Beyond The Road (12 June – 24 July 2019) at the Saatchi Gallery.

photo (c) Tupac Martir

Saatchi Gallery is delighted to host Beyond The Road, a ground-breaking, fully immersive exhibition and independent project developed by Punchdrunk creatives Colin Nightingale (creative producer) and Stephen Dobbie (sound designer and creative director).Presented by Beyond Projects in collaboration with the Saatchi Gallery, Beyond The Road merges the worlds of visual arts, music and film, and offers visitors a chance to leave behind their modern day lives and lose themselves in a multi-sensory world led by sound.

Collaborating with world-renowned and award-winning contemporary artists, filmmakers and photographers, the exhibition deconstructs an exclusive soundtrack by music pioneer James Lavelle (Unkle), to create a completely new and multi-disciplinary sound experience.
Nightingale and Dobbie now seek to reinvent how people experience and interact with music, so it becomes an environment which visitors are free to explore.

Included in the exhibition will be the work of visual designer and multimedia artist Tupac Martir of Satore Studio and Satore Tech. All visual artists invited to participate have been involved in the creative world of Lavelle through soundtracks, music videos and album artwork for ‘The Road: Part I’ and ‘The Road: Part II/ Lost Highway’.

Martir said: “James’ versatility of knowledge and curatorial ability in the art world is incredible. After years of working together on tours, we now have conversations about aesthetics and new technologies. We started talking about the concept about two years ago. Once it became obvious that my idea needed to be both a part of the live show and art, we began to see what could be possible with the technology at hand. Music is the driving force of the exhibition and of the piece, so it is very important for us to allow the music to create the environment.”

In order for Martir to create his latest project (which centres around holographic dancers moving around the viewer) the project – entitled Eriya, or ‘to feel’ in the indigenous Mexican language of Huichol – requires some key technologies for its delivery; namely Notch software and HYPERVSN 3D Holographic Displays.

He continued: “We have been working with Notch for about three years now, and I find it to be such a powerful tool. When looking at what we wanted to achieve with a combination of technologies and timings, it was only natural to use it as part of our workflow and creative ideas. “All VFX have been created using Notch, and so we are able to respond to the movement and especially to how the 3D depth is achieved on the HYPERVSN Wall. We needed to create a piece that feels ephemeral, but that at the same time allows you to feel as if the dancer is there with you.” Notch Founder, Matt Swoboda said: “What makes Tupac special is not only that he works with some of the most recognisable brands in fashion and culture, but also that Satore Studio invests heavily in R&D and technology. In a world that sometimes finds itself on autopilot, it’s refreshing to see people look for new ideas and solutions, which in turn enables truly bespoke experiences. Having been to the Saatchi Gallery many times, I’m very excited to see the entire top floor filled with such a massive, multi-sensory installation.

“The level of talent that’s involved with this show is incredible and I can’t wait to see it come to life. Tupac is a veteran in this game and knows how to use Notch to build visual and interactive experiences that transport the visitors to another time and place. The real-time nature of Notch makes it possible to create interactivity in such a natural way. We see time and time again that the sooner Notch is deployed on a project, the more refined the ideas for interaction end up being, and the quality of the overall experience goes up.”

HYPERVSN’s Kevin Gordon added: “HYPERVSN is the ultimate visual product. Any time we have the opportunity to be placed within an environment that challenges people’s senses and perspective of ‘reality’ we are interested. Combine that with a venue as esteemed as the Saatchi Gallery and an artist as innovative and prolific as Tupac, and we’re absolutely onboard.”

https://beyondtheroad.saatchigallery.com