miguel chevalier projects digital arabesques along the al majaz waterfront

miguel chevalier projects digital arabesques along the al majaz waterfront
all images courtesy of miguel chevalier

as part of the 17th islamic art festival in sharjah, french artist miguel chevalier sources oriental patterns and culture to create a generative and interactive virtual-reality installation projected on the floor of al majaz waterfront. ‘digital arabesques 2014’ revisits the traditional art of islam through the medium of digital art, featuring evolving multicolored graphic scenes referencing to the art of zelliges, arabesques and mosaics and ‘mashrabiya’ latticework.

sophisticated geometrical patterns are driven by mathematical logic, creating a wave that forms and deforms to reveal a colorful, breathing universe that is continually renewed. as viewers interact with the piece, they create disturbances in the trajectories of these mobile designs beneath their feet, resulting in an unprecedented interactive and visually immersive experience. the projection on the floor of the fountain piazza creates a vivid world of colors and forms with movement reminiscent of a kaleidoscope and symbolic of the infinity of nature and creation.

in the art of islam, chevalier discovered a decorative manifestation similar to his own creative language, as well as a connection with digital algorithmic art in its use of geometry. the artist has enhanced these features through the use of computer software, enriching the designs in the realization of his piece.

‘digital arabesques 2014’ marks the first truly open urban installation for is chevalier. the six video-projectors used are supported by a truss structure, without the need for walls or a ceiling, a construction which materializes a new architectural space within the urban landscape.

‘digital arabesques 2014’ marks chevalier’s first truly open urban installation

the accompanying video has been produced by filmmaker claude mossessian using a drone camera. using this technology, the artwork is presented from a birds-eye perspective as the camera glides over the audience, forming a visual experience akin to a mammoth, luminous carpet.

sophisticated geometrical patterns are driven by mathematical logic

visitor participation creates a wave that forms and deforms to reveal a colorful, breathing universe

evolving multicolored graphic scenes reference the art of zelliges, arabesques and mosaics and ‘mashrabiya’ latticework

as viewers interact with the piece, they create disturbances in the trajectories of the mobile designs beneath their feet

in the art of islam, chevalier discovered a decorative manifestation similar to his own creative language

a generative and interactive virtual-reality installation is projected on the waterfront surface

‘digital arabesques 2014’ revisits the traditional art of islam through the medium of digital art

the work is presented for the 17th islamic art festival in sharjah, UAE

an accompanying video has been produced by filmmaker claude mossessian using a drone camera

the projection on the floor of the fountain piazza creates a vivid world of colors

project credits:

digital arabesques 2014, miguel chevalier
islamic art festival, al majaz water front, sharjah (UAE)
department of culture & information, directorate of art, sharjah government
generative and interactive virtual-reality installation
50 m x 22 m / 164 ft x 65,6 ft  — 1 100m2 / 11 840 ft2
6 video-projectors 25 000 lumens, 6 infrared video cameras for the interactivity, 1 computer
software: cyrille henry and antoine villeret
video-projectors : g-force arts, dubai (UAE)
technical production : voxels productions / nicolas gaudelet