It took a talented crew of four art groups and many other artists working over two years to create the half-hour projections that accompanied the traditional fireworks show on the night of 20 August.
“We’ve done projections for other national celebrations before,” says Dániel Besnyő of Centrum Production, a prime mover behind the operation, "but this was the most spectacular. In it we tell a whole story, of how Hungary emerged from darkness into the light of the nation’s foundation in the year 1,000”.
Now seen on a short trailer before an after movie is released this month, this major exercise in 3D mapping also links in with Dániel’s other creative arm, the Secret Mapping Experiment, which has taken him all over Europe.
"I was in Hong Kong for New Year’s and Paris for Bastille Day,’ explains former VJ and MOME graduate Dániel, "and I realised how each nation has different traditions which can be projected. The past is always a fascinating source of inspiration.”
Getting back to Hungary, Dániel and his collaborators on the 20 August project see their night’s work as a springboard for further initiatives.
Budapest light festivals
“This show was challenging but I treat it as an opportunity which aligns with our plans. In the long term, we would like to organise the first light festival of Budapest or the first projection mapping competition. I hope that this production can be the first step.”
If you’re in the southern city of Pécs, look out for a series of projections in the town centre at the end of September while here in Budapest, December will see another visual spectacular at the soon-to-open Etele Plaza at Kelenföld. Several visual artists have been invited to show their works around the 18 rooms of a vast cinema. Watch this space!
