Gasometer Oberhausen: The Wave

Since 15 March, Europe’s highest exhibition hall, the Gasometer Oberhausen, has been taking visitors on a journey to the fascinating depths of the world’s oceans with its new permanent exhibition. “Planet Ocean” uses photographs and films to illustrate the beauty and diversity of the ocean.

The highlight of this exhibition is “The Wave”: a 1,000 square metre projection on which lifelike animations from the mysterious world of the sea are brought to life. Ars Electronica Solutions was the artistic director responsible for the conception and realisation of this installation.

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Photo: Dirk Böttger/ Gasometer Oberhausen

The projection screen for “The Wave” consists of two parts: a vertical, 40 metre high wall from AV Stumpfl GmbH and a horizontal, translucent screen. It is projected by a total of seven Epson installation projectors from different angles, creating a unique visual experience with a resolution of 60 million pixels, depending on the position in the room.

The scenes depicted are made and animated exclusively by hand, the result of creative staging. Different impressions are created depending on the position.The movement in the room creates parallax effects that generate depth and enable holographic effects. Visitors become directors and actively take part in the action.

When visitors go under the horizontal screen (“Gaze”), they are literally immersed in the underwater world and can even interact with specific content. Without a wetsuit, they can experience the ocean up close with whales, fish and jellyfish.

The visual spectacle is accompanied by an immersive sound experience that creates a special atmosphere.This composition was created by Rupert Huber. It is a musical narrative that unfolds independently in space

In addition to the visual and acoustic presentation, the integration of ‘The Wave’ into the architecture of the Gasometer Oberhausen, the highest exhibition hall in Europe, is also remarkable. The unique industrial architecture of the Gasometer enhances the experience: the projection of the sea surface merges visually with the ceiling construction and gives the impression of being under the surface of the sea.

The successful combination of visual, acoustic and architectural elements creates an intense experience that makes a lasting impression and awakens a deep emotional connection to the ocean. The artistic direction was carried out by Ars Electronica Solutions in close collaboration with Nils Sparwasser, the consulting curator of the “Planet Ocean” exhibition.

In just seven months, the exhibition has set a record with over 750,000 visitors. The previous exhibition “The Fragile Paradise” was one of the most successful exhibitions in Germany to date, with a total of more than 1.3 million visitors.

Due to its great success, Planet Ocean is now being extended until 30 November 2025.