One of the most iconic buildings in the United States will serve as the canvas of arguably the most elaborate light show ever attempted. On Aug. 1, Travis Threlkel and his photographer and filmmaker Louie Psihoyos will project detailed digital images of endangered species onto the building's facade, creating a massive canvas that is 33-floors-high.
Images of snow leopards, manta rays, snakes, lions, sea mammals and other endangered animals will be projected from 9 p.m. to 12 a.m, reports The Independent. Though the Empire State Building has already made a name for itself due to the light shows it has hosted, this Saturday's show is gearing up to be the most intricate so far, with some moving images and images having with a resolution of 5k clarity.
The plight of endangered species has been the focal point of a number of newsworthy events as of late, including Cecil the Lion's death that was covered by HNGN in this article, and U.S. President Barack Obama emphasizing the predicament of elephants who are hunted for their ivory in a speech in Kenya, also covered by HNGN.
Anthony E. Malkin, chairman and chief executive of Empire State Realty Trust, which owns and operates the building, believes that "the concept of incorporating art into the urban fabric and making a social statement is wonderful." The building currently stands at the forefront of environmental awareness, after a refurbishing in 2009 made it into one of the most sustainable buildings in New York, according to The New York Times.
Threlkel describes some of the planned progressions in the light show, which includes a sequence involving human hands that will morph into a kinetic blooming, ending with a representation of Mother Earth looking "not angry, but powerful." He further describes some of the light show's parts as "psychedelic."
The ambitious project, which costs about $1 million to produce, is part of Psihoyos's next documentary, "Racing Extinction," which is set to have a theatrical release in the fall, and then be shown internationally through the Discovery Channel in December.
