Gasometer Oberhausen

Highlight installation ‘The Wave’ in the new exhibition ‘Planet Ocean’

Since March 15th, Europe’s tallest exhibition hall, the Gasometer Oberhausen, has been captivating visitors with its new permanent exhibition, delving into the captivating depths of the world’s oceans. “Planet Ocean” illustrates the beauty and diverse life forms of the ocean through photographs and films. The highlight of this exhibition is “The Wave”: a 1,000 square meter projection featuring lifelike animations from the mysterious world of the sea, brought to life by Ars Electronica Solutions as the artistic director for conceptualization and execution.

The projection surface of “The Wave” consists of two parts: a vertical, 40-meter-high wall by AV Stumpfl GmbH and a horizontal, translucent canvas. It is played 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 location in the room.

The scenes depicted are exclusively handcrafted and animated, a result of creative staging. When visitors go under the horizontal canvas (“Gaze”), they literally immerse themselves in the underwater world and can even interact with specific content. The artistic direction was carried out by Ars Electronica Solutions in close collaboration with Nils Sparwasser, the advising curator of the exhibition ‘Planet Ocean’.

In addition to the impressive visual display, the integration of “The Wave” into the industrial architecture of the Gasometer Oberhausen, Europe’s tallest exhibition hall, is noteworthy. The installation creates the impression that the surface of the sea seamlessly merges into the ceiling structure of the room. This visual spectacle is accompanied by new compositions by Rupert Huber, creating an immersive sound experience.

‘Planet Ocean’ is a permanent exhibition and can be visited until December 30, 2024, at the Gasometer Oberhausen.