UVP Marks Tenth Anniversary with State-of-the-Art Projector Upgrade
This summer, Light Work’s Urban Video Project projector went dark for a long-awaited equipment upgrade that was the culmination of years of fundraising and planning. This upgrade will make it possible for UVP to continue to present exhibitions by preeminent video artists from around the world. UVP is an essential international venue for the public presentation of video and electronic arts and this initiative extends the lifetime of the equipment. Hosted on the facade of the Everson Museum of Art, this technical upgrade secures UVP’s role as one of the nation’s premier outdoor architectural projection sites for years to come.
Light Work executive director Jeffrey Hoone notes, “Since opening the UVP Everson site with an exhibition by Bill Viola ten years ago, we have continued building on the site as an important electronic public art venue for emerging and established artists from around the world. The Everson Museum was one of the first museums in the world to exhibit the work of video artists and we are so pleased to be able to continue that tradition with this important collaboration among Light Work, the Everson, and Syracuse University to make Syracuse a place that supports important artists working in new media.”
For ten years, UVP has created opportunities for the community to engage large-scale moving images by outside projection. The program’s former exhibition roster boasts work by Lawrence Abu Hamdan, Shimmon Attie, Sandford Biggers, Christopher Harris, Cauleen Smith, William Wegman, among many others. These exhibitions transform the plaza and offer a unique public viewing site for appreciation, consideration, and conversation.
“The new equipment we’ve installed is more advanced, energy-efficient, and will produce a brighter, sharper, more spectacular image, “says Anneka Herre, director of Urban Video Project. “But more importantly, this upgrade will allow Urban Video Project to sustainably continue our mission to make media arts a part of our community’s fabric for many years to come.”
For technology aficionados who crave installation details, the upgraded spec rundown includes a new Barco UDX-W40, an HD projector that produces a spectacular 40,000 lumens at center with a sealed light engine. The UDX-W40 uses new, laser phosphor technology that will last for an impressive 20,000 hours while producing half the heat of a traditional xenon-based lamp. We also have a completely new custom-designed and climate-controlled “smart” enclosure from Display Devices to maintain all of this sensitive AV equipment.
This installation has been possible through the support, patience, and expertise of local MWBE-certified contractors Tony Baird Electronics (prime) and Diversified (sub), and Clark Rigging & Rental. Van Hook Service supplied work on HVAC. Onondaga County has also been a partner throughout the project, providing county electricians to complete the installation and providing electricity going forward.
Sponsors
Urban Video Project’s equipment upgrade was made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature through a REDC Midsize Capital Grant and Syracuse University.
