captivating projection of starling murmurations fills windows of converted church in brighton

‘murmurations’ by shared space and light 

Artist-run platform Shared Space and Light was commissioned by Fabrica Gallery, a converted church in Brighton, UK, to create a projection-based installation that brings to life its large, ornate windows. The artwork is a mesmerizing digital recreation of starling murmurations captured over the years by Giles Thacker of Shared Space and Light. ‘Being a motion graphics artist, I’ve always wanted to graphically explore the flight patterns and dynamics of those fascinating sightings,’ adds Thacker. 

all images by Phoebe Wingrove

Shared Space and Light (see more here) decided to feature starling murmurations in its installation as they occur every night just around the corner at the Palace Pier in Brighton. Intrigued, Giles Thacker (see more here) consistently documented the phenomenon and has made several films about it using a Canon 5D and Panasonic Z200, including slo-mo shots.

The team projected the graphic recreation on the windows of Fabrica Gallery (see more here) from inside, letting it run with minimal maintenance and allowing the audience to enjoy the show while adhering to Covid-19 restrictions. According to Thacker, what pushed for a successful mapping was two-fold: creating the feeling that something was happening within the space and incorporating a stained glass aesthetic that matches the windows. 

over the years, Giles Thacker from Shared Space and Light documented the murmurations in Brighton

the gallery is a converted church with large, ornate windows displaying the graphical remix

projected from inside, ‘murmurations’ can be enjoyed while adhering to Covid-19 measures

the video mapping included a stained-glass aesthetic to match the windows

project info:

name: Murmurations

location: Fabrica Gallery, Brighton, UK

art installation: Shared Space and Light 
motion graphics: Giles Thacker

original soundtrack: Owen Crouch

photography: Phoebe Wingrove

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: lea zeitoun | designboom