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ShowTex

Amazing Stage Fabrics in Motion

High Arctic

London, UK
July 2011

Set in one of many possible futures, High Arctic conveys the scale, beauty and fragility of our unique Arctic environment through an immersive installation which fills the entire 820m2 gallery space.

Working closely with the National Maritime Museum, UVA, Steel Monkey and ShowTex combined their expertise to turn creative vision into reality by constructing an abstracted arctic landscape for visitors to explore. High Arctic uses a combination of sound, light, over 3000 sculptural columns supplied by Steel Monkey and a custom made Giant Mirror from ShowTex. Measuring 44 meters wide and nearly 4 meters high, this glassless mirror functions as an artificial horizon engulfing an entire wall of the wing. Lighting effects shift in intensity and colour aiming to create an impression of infinity.

High Arctic is an exhibition with no touchscreens, no static photographs, and no panels with text. Ultraviolet torches unlock hidden elements, constantly shifting patterns of graphics and text that react to visitors approaching; an archipelago of thousands of columns fills the gallery space, each representing a real glacier in Svalbard.

Project credits

Client: 
National Maritime Museum