Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico, 2012
The exterior façade of the Gran Museo del Mundo Maya comes to life at night, revealing a gigantic fresco of sound and movement. This multimedia experience complements the Museum’s permanent exhibit, which presents the Maya civilization as a continually evolving living culture with an influence that extends to the present day.
Sixteen high-definition projectors bring to life the top portion of the Museum’s façade with a virtual band of 34 giant works made up of drawings, photographs and graphic compositions, created by Xavier de Richemont. A long-range sound system built in to the building’s architecture broadcasts music over the whole site. The entire system can be controlled and programmed remotely.
The distinct design of the Museum façade, made of interwoven metallic ribbons, brings to mind the trunk and foliage of the ceiba tree, which was sacred to the Maya. Seventy LED projectors were installed to showcase the building’s unique architecture. At night, this dynamic lighting system recreates the movement of the foliage in the wind.
Project management Technical direction Audiovisual and lighting design Installation Programming
Yaxché
Xavier de Richemont, video painter