How can technology be combined with art to create experiences that amaze audiences around the world? Josef Lepša, Art Director of the creative studio 3DSENSE, shared at Meet the Makers 21 his experience of creating the iconic installations IRIS and Haslev. Find out how a unique approach can transform festival spaces and cities into breathtaking scenes!
Watch the full recording of the presentation here. 👇
The video recording is in Czech.The path to combining technology and art
Pepa Lepša studied graphic design and animation at UMPRUM, which laid the foundations for his broad range. After graduating, he met friends who were setting up a technology project. “I thought, why not combine technology with art?” This gave rise to the studio 3DSENSE, which has been experimenting with audiovisual installations, interactive projects and stage design for 13 years.
“Our work is exploratory. We keep trying new techniques, combining technologies and looking for original approaches,” says Josef.
From National Theatre firefighters to car traffic as music
One unique project was an interactive video mapping for the 150th anniversary of laying the foundation stone of the National Theatre. Using an app, the audience “put out” a digital fire and rebuilt the theatre from virtual bricks. On another occasion, the studio used the traffic on the main road in front of the State Opera building as a “musical score” – moving cars generated notes that triggered sound effects and animations on the façade.
Iris: the human iris as an installation
One of the largest projects was the installation Iris created for the Blik Blik festival in Plzeň and inspired by the human iris. A giant projection of a circular iris on the water’s surface was reflected, creating the illusion of infinite space. “We wanted to bring the microcosm of the human iris to a scale that would take viewers’ breath away,” says Lepša.
The detailed textures of the eye were created by combining photography and digital painting. Iris amazed audiences not only in Plzeň but also at festivals in Portugal and Australia, where local conditions allowed the project to be developed even further.
Connecting history and modern technology in Haslev
Another unique project was a light installation in the town of Haslev in Denmark, marking 150 years since the town was connected to Copenhagen by rail. The studio created 150 illuminated sleepers, each bearing important events of a given year. The project combined light, sound and stories. Unfortunately, because of the Covid-19 pandemic the event could not take place in full, but the installation still captivated local residents.
Creativity without limits
The work of Josef Lepša and his team combines creativity, innovation and a determination to bring new perspectives. Whether it is video mapping, light installations or educational projects, the 3DSENSE studio shows that technology and art together can create experiences that exceed expectations.
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