The Indianapolis Museum of Art approached Blockhouse Studios in the winter of 2020 to reimagine the Clowes Pavilion at Newfields. In early 2022 we debuted our transformative installation: an 11,500 pound, 47x31 foot LED ceiling that evokes an immersive sense of nature right in the heart of the museum.
Bridging the gap between the organic beauty of the gardens and the beloved works of the Clowes Collections, this installation boasts the best and the brightest panels available in order to illuminate the limestone architecture of the Pavilion.
522 Neoti dvLED Panels were installed, synchronized and hoisted into the ceiling. Blockhouse managed the contractors hired to aid in the installation, produced original content for the LED ceiling, developed a custom Mac OS solution to keep content running smoothly between the screen and audio hardware installed in tandem with the LED system.
This large-scale LED installation was conceived and created by Indiana-based multimedia production team Kevin Winkler and Amelia Morris of Blockhouse Studios. It was inspired by the color palette of early European paintings in the Clowes Collection at the Indianapolis Museum of Art. Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty, was an additional source of inspiration. According to Greek mythology, when she wept in sorrow, her tears were transformed into anemones as they fell to earth. This LED installation utilizes a "reverse rain" technique to simulate the arrival and passing of a rain storm. To capture the striking visual effects, Blockhouse commissioned flower artist Paula Shoultz to hang more than 3600 fresh-cut florals upside down to create a saturated and surreal floral landscape."
