The Berlin-based studio Overlapping was able to succeed in the jury decision against other competitors with its project Particles Ensemble and is thus the winner of the first dm award “connecting worlds”, which is endowed with 10,000 euro in prize money.
Since 2015, the SCHLOSSLICHTSPIELE Light Festival Karlsruhe has been encouraging artists to break new ground in the field of projection mapping, and the dm award will be presented to an outstanding project that follows this path into analogue space. Submissions were sought that deal with the connection between the digital space of the SCHLOSSLICHTSPIELE projection mappings and the analogue space in front of the castle towards the city centre. The submitted projects must take place outdoors, be accessible to the public and can, but do not have to, be shown for the entire duration of the SCHLOSSLICHTSPIELE Light Festival 2024.
Possible options include, for example, the interaction of the public with the façade, the installation of a media artwork that refers to the castle, a complementary staging of the square in front of the castle, the combination of other art forms with projection mapping (such as concerts or performances over several days), interactive projects with public participation, the integration of new technical possibilities or the creation of a new spatial experience.
The winning project
Particles Ensemble is an interactive media installation that engages the audience through soundscapes and uses infrared sensors to project the audience’s movements into abstract visuals on the castle façade. The intensity of the visuals corresponds to the activity of the audience, creating a dynamic fusion of digital and analogue spaces.
Particles Ensemble was conceived by Berlin-based studio Overlapping, which specialises in media scenography and large-scale projections. The studio’s expertise lies in designing site-specific installations for public and private spaces. Overlapping has already made a name for itself in the creative landscape with innovative approaches to projects, including a runner-up placement at the Schlosslichtspiele 2023 and a video installation at the Bass Museum Miami.
The dm award “connecting worlds” is endowed with 10,000 euros in prize money and the production costs are subsidised with up to 20,000 euros. The awarding partner is dm-drogerie markt GmbH in cooperation with the UNESCO City of Media Arts office, the ZKM | Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe and KME Karlsruhe Marketing und Event GmbH as the organiser of the SCHLOSSLICHTSPIELE Light Festival.
