Rigging, drape, and starcloth specialist Blackout were instrumental in providing the facilities for a star-studded event held in early June in the National Museum in Barcelona, Spain (MNAC).
The Laureus World Sports Awards Welcome Party for 800 VIP guests from the realms of sports, cinema, and music. Some of the famous people in attendance were His Majesty Juan Carlos the King of Spain, actors Terri Hatcher and Morgan Freeman, and Edwin Moses, who represented the sports interest.
“Blackout provided StarLED starcloth and new pipe and drape system, which were instrumental in providing the flexibility needed to achieve another dimension within the confines of the space,” says designer Adrian Smith. “They also helped to create a setting for both formal and informal seating areas to suit the various moods that we invoked.”
The use of Blackout’s stock truss assemblies was also pivotal in the creation of a large a heart shape with bright red casement sheeting. This was flown over the dance floor to represent the heart of Barcelona.
The unique design of the MNAC building created both challenges and opportunities for Smith. His intention was to create a strong identity for the party, and central to this was a large refreshments bar created in the style of Gaudi with the rest of the installation radiating from there and emulating the style of other great Spanish artists such as Dali, Picasso, and Miro.
Kevin Monks, project manager at Blackout says, “We have worked with Adrian before on some high profile events such as at the Cannes and Venice Film Festival’s and other music events in Barcelona and Dublin. It was good to have been involved in creating such a successful event especially within such visually stunning and unusual surroundings.”