Tag Archive: National Gallery

1. White Light Launches Culture is Digital Report at National Gallery

   22 March 2018 09:26 Comments Off on White Light Launches Culture is Digital Report at National Gallery

   On Wednesday 7^th March, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport launched the Culture is Digital report. The report announced how museums, galleries, theatres and heritage organisations will be given access to cutting-edge technology and digital skills training in order to help them reach new and diverse audiences. The launch took place at the National Gallery. As an approved supplier to the venue, White Light was called upon to provide the technical solutions.

   The Culture is Digital report was announced by the DCMS’ Secretary of State Matt Hancock. He comments: “We want the UK to be the best place in the world to trial pioneering technology, whilst also maintaining our world-leading status as a centre of artistic and cultural excellence. Our Culture is Digital report sets out how culture and technology can collaborate, learn from one another and keep innovating. By embracing new technologies and attracting more diverse audiences, we will continue to cement our status as a creative powerhouse in the digital age”.

   DCMS approached WL to provide the technical support on the event. This was overseen by WL’s Conference Account Manager Shrenik Singhavi and WL’s Project Manager Luke Hance. Shrenik comments: “The event took place in The Wohl Room at the National Gallery; a space we know very well. The DCMS asked us to provide the video solutions for the launch. These were utilised for the opening speech given by Matt Hancock along with the companies showcasing at the event”.

   

                     WL’s Shrenik Singhavi

   Those showcasing at the launch included Factory 42, Science Museum, BBC/Civilisations, the Welsh National Opera and Smartify. Shrenik explains: “We supplied a range of screens, on which each individual organisation could display their individual content. These showcased some of the finest examples of digital culture, which included cutting-edge immersive installations using the very latest technology”.

   WL supplied an on-site team of video technicians and project managers who oversaw the smooth running of the event. The crew arrived on site at 6:30am to prepare for the event which started at 8:00am. The equipment was delivered the day before to ensure that it was ready for an immediate set up.

   Shrenik adds: “When working in a busy space such as the National Gallery, planning is essential. The timings for the day could not be changed so we had to do as much preparation as possible to ensure everything ran on time”.

   The launch marks another event that WL has supplied at the National Gallery. The company has supported a range of events at the venue, including the Bristol University Strategy Launch, Edmund Burke Award along with the launch of the Gallery’s own Venue Hire services.

   Shrenik states: “Having worked at the National Gallery on many occasions, we have an extensive knowledge of the venue and know how to maximise the use of the beautiful spaces there; something we were able to do for the Culture is Digital report”.

2. White Light in the Frame for National Gallery

   5 January 2018 11:46 Comments Off on White Light in the Frame for National Gallery

   Founded in 1824, the National Gallery houses a collection of more than 2000 paintings and is one of the most visited art galleries in the world. Located in Trafalgar Square, London, it also hosts a range of unique spaces that are used for events throughout the year. One of these includes the Sainsbury Wing Theatre which was opened in 1991 and is used for lectures, films and study days. To ensure that the space was fully equipped with the latest technical support, the Gallery approached WL to invest in a range of lighting fixtures.

   The purchasing of the equipment was overseen by the National Gallery’s Audio Visual Production Manager Jon Sheldon. Jon comments: “I am responsible for the technology used within the National Gallery’s event spaces. The Sainsbury Wing Theatre is our largest multi-use venue, hence needs to be fully kitted out for performances, lectures, conferences and film screenings. We have a range of regularly used standard lighting configurations, but we must also cater for any of the varied venue hire clients we have; allowing us to accommodate any technical requests we receive at short notice”.

   Jon contacted WL with his exact specifications for the space and worked closely with WL’s Business Development Manager Antony Vine to decide on a suitable range of fixtures. Antony visited the space and performed a range of on-site demonstrations to see how each fixture responded within the Theatre. Following this, Jon decided to invest in an ETC-focused rig.

   Jon explains: “The stage area has a pretty full theatrical lighting rig that now consists of a mix of ETC Lustr Series 2 LEDs and ColorSource PAR fixtures; all controlled by an ETC Element 60 (250). We chose ETC Lustr 2s because we had some stock of compatible Source Four kit already, and I have always been extremely happy with the performance, focus and coverage of Source Four lanterns. When Antony conducted the demo of the Lustr 2s, we all pretty excited by what we saw.

   He adds: “Having the ability to call up a whole palette of colour with a few clicks is a huge step forward for us. Access to our front of house lighting bars is frustratingly only possible via scaff tower, so swapping over colour gels (usually requiring several days’ notice) is happily now a thing of the past”.

   Not only do the units offer a certain aesthetic appeal, but they also help the National Gallery meet their environmental goals. Jon explains: “With these new units, the reduction in power consumption and CO2 emissions is huge, reducing the installed total wattage by 80%. Similarly, any regular maintenance previously required by our building’s contractors has been cut down to pretty much zero. In all, by changing our stage and house lighting to LED, we expect to have cut our lighting power consumption within the theatre by approximately 75%”.

   The investment marks another example of WL working closely with a venue to provide the exact products required for their individual spaces.

   Jon adds: “WL has always been forthcoming with knowledge and experience, and their recommendations haven’t disappointed. They’ve gone out of their way to deliver equipment demonstrations, draw up installation details and ensure all works are completed as specified. This all adds up to a great overall experience”.

   All photos © The National Gallery, London.