Museum of Art + Light, Manhattan, Kansas

Museum of Art + Light relies on Modulo Pi’s media servers to create state-of-the-art immersive museum

On November 8, 2024, the Museum of Art + Light was inaugurated in Manhattan, Kansas. The new contemporary art museum offers a unique fusion of traditional, digital, and immersive art, creating a one-of-a-kind experience. The immersive gallery uses cutting-edge technology to bring artworks to life in an inaugural exhibition dedicated to Impressionist master Pierre-Auguste Renoir. Integrated by Diversified, the AV setup includes over 100 Epson video-projectors powered by Modulo Pi’s Modulo Kinetic media server, delivering a captivating visual experience.

Founded by entrepreneurs and art collectors Tracey and Robert DeBruyn, Ronald Bowman and Stanley Zukowfsky, the Museum of Art + Light (MoA+L) is dedicated to presenting art through an innovative blend of immersive, digital, and physical artistic experiences.

Inaugurated on November 8 in Manhattan, Kansas, MoA+L enriches a vibrant rural community with a new 100,000-square-foot venue designed to offer a captivating and engaging journey.

Alongside a fine art gallery and the first permanent space dedicated to NFTs, MoA+L features an immersive gallery equipped with state-of-the-art audio-visual systems, expertly integrated by Diversified, a leading technology solutions provider.

Dedicated to French painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir, the inaugural exhibition offers a fully immersive experience entirely powered by video projection. Spanning a 37,000-square-foot projection surface, the show brings the artist’s iconic masterpieces to life alongside photo and video archives, creating a dynamic celebration of his work and legacy.

The immersive experience is powered by a large-scale AV setup with 108 x Epson EB-PU2010B projectors, most equipped with ultra-short throw lenses, and Meyer’s cutting-edge audio technology, integrated by Diversified, which ensured flawless coordination throughout the Museum.

To drive the 188-million-pixel digital canvas, the MoA+L selected Modulo Pi’s Modulo Kinetic media server. The installation includes 3 x Modulo Kinetic Designer workstations, and 23 x Modulo Kinetic V-Node servers, marking the largest integration of Modulo Pi’s media servers in the U.S to date.

The media server platform has been used throughout the project workflow as explains Sydney Bouhaniche, MoA+L’s Creative Director:

With Modulo Kinetic Designer, we create concepts and perform video studies that include projector placement, pixel size control, and brightness optimization.

Rudy De La Uz, Sales Team Leader at Diversified, adds: “Modulo Pi‘s state-of-the-art media server solution was instrumental in bringing Museum of Art + Light’s vision to life for the immersive projection mapping project. We aimed to transform Sydney’s vision of traditional artwork into a dynamic digital experience that would captivate visitors and redefine how art is perceived.”

Deploying the projection mapping was crucial to delivering a seamless experience, with show content precisely aligned to the gallery’s architecture. During this phase, the teams at MoA+L and Diversified leveraged Modulo Kinetic’s advanced warping tools, guided by the expertise of video mapping specialists Baptiste Jazé and Vladislav Tolic. “Setting up Modulo Kinetic Designer, along with warping and geometry correction, was an enjoyable process with their expertise,” notes Sydney Bouhaniche. “The training with Baptiste was exceptionally professional and comprehensive.”  

With Modulo Pi’s Warp Remote companion app, the 34,000-square-foot projection surface could be warped collaboratively by multiple operators working simultaneously on their laptops. This streamlined approach significantly accelerated the warping process. “

The intuitive user interface and real-time warping tools enables the ability to efficiently adjust projections on the fly, ensuring that each piece of artwork was displayed with optimal clarity and impact” notes Rudy De La Uz. “The platform’s robust performance handled multiple high-definition video streams simultaneously, creating a cohesive and immersive environment without any latency or technical glitches.

After the projection was seamlessly set up, MoA+L utilized Modulo Kinetic‘s embedded UI Designer to create custom control panels, simplifying daily operations and ensuring efficient management of the installation.

I find Modulo Kinetic’s versatility exceptional” says Sydney Bouhaniche. “In terms of playback, I particularly appreciate the intuitive control through the tablet-based UI, which makes managing the system remarkably easy.

Rudy De La Uz concludes: “Modulo Pi‘s comprehensive media server solution was the key to achieving the Museum’s goals of delivering a groundbreaking digital showcase. Their technology not only met the complex technical requirements of the project but also elevated the artistic presentation, resulting in an unforgettable experience that seamlessly blended the worlds of traditional art and modern technology.”

About The Museum of Art + Light
The Museum of Art + Light is a 501c3 non-profit, contemporary art museum with the mission to bridge 21st-century technology with the visual and performing arts to incite positive emotion, cultivate meaningful connections, encourage artistic exploration, and spark innovation.
Through innovative exhibitions and strategic partnerships, the Museum aims to create an inclusive and engaging space that explores the limitless convergence of visual art, the creative process, and digital technology. For more information about the Museum of Art + Light, upcoming exhibitions, and ticketing, visit www.artlightmuseum.org.
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