More than 2,200 invited guests attended the memorial for artist and long-time Christo partner Jeanne-Claude at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on April 26 where Scharff Weisberg provided AV support to producers KCD Inc. Jeanne-Claude, who passed away last November, was the wife and collaborator of Christo. For 51 years they created renowned temporary works of art, including Running Fence in California's Sonoma and Marin Counties, the Pont Neuf wrapped in Paris, and The Gates in New York City's Central Park.
The memorial posed a challenge for KCD Inc., a fashion PR and production agency, and Scharff Weisberg, who have frequently teamed on projects. Due to the number of expected guests several areas in the museum needed to be outfitted with AV equipment to accommodate the crowd; in addition, the Boathouse in Central Park was set aside for an overflow of guests and for the press. But it was KCD's goal that no guest felt as if he or she was relegated to a less important venue so every AV installation had to offer top-quality pictures and sound.
The memorial program originated in the museum's Grace Rainey Rogers Auditorium where 708 guests were seated. Scharff Weisberg provided equipment for the three-camera HD shoot, recorded on Sony HDCAM. The HD video feed was sent to the house projector and routed via fiber to the Temple of Dendur, which accommodated another 694 people, and to the Great Hall entrance space where latecomers could view the proceedings. The video signal was also sent to an HD satellite truck parked outside the museum, which beamed the simulcast to another 700-plus guests in the Boathouse. The memorial was also uploaded to the Internet for live streaming.
The Temple of Dendur displayed IMAG of the memorial on two 8x14-foot Barco NX-4 LED walls constructed on the north and south sides of the Temple. KCD Inc. is a fan of the 4mm indoor LED display technology which it has obtained from Scharff Weisberg several times and values for its crisp, clear imagery. A secondary display, provided so every guest had a clear sightline, consisted of a 100-inch Panasonic plasma screen placed in front of the Temple arch. A Meyer distributed sound system filled audio needs.
In the Boathouse a Christie 10K-M projector displayed IMAG of the memorial on a 7x11-foot screen. Seven 42-inch NEC plasma screens and two 61-inch NEC plasma screens, all with 1080i display, were on hand to ensure visibility. Scharff Weisberg also supplied a second Meyer distributed sound system to the venue.
Following the memorial a reception was held in the Great Hall where an asynchronous photo loop of Jeanne-Claude played in the background. The loop was projected onto five 9x12-foot screens that were flown around the hall and rigged from the balcony. Two Christie S+20 projectors shot well off axis to a pair of the screens; three Christie S+16 projectors displayed the loop on the remaining trio of screens. A pair of plasmas in the hall had earlier delivered IMAG coverage of the memorial to guests who arrived late.
Tony Rossello was Project Manager for Scharff Weisberg for the memorial.
Scharff Weisberg and Video Applications are collaborating partners to clients requiring unique and imaginative solutions for their event, spectacle and large-meeting lighting, sound and video needs whether local, national or worldwide. For more information visit www.scharffweisberg.com or www.videoapps.com.