Organisation: MattCreative
Location: Waterloo, Canada
Who is MattCreative?
MattCreative is Matt Jones; a new media artist from Waterloo, Canada, working primarily with large scale LED installations. Matt explores the interplay of light, motion, space and time. With more than 15 years of digital design and development experience Matt brings both technical mastery and creative vision to his work and looks to create pieces that push the bounds of what is possible, while bringing wonder and interactivity to the public realm in a way that inspires wonder and invites interaction.
The Project
For this installation MattCreative was commissioned to design and deliver a signature center piece for Revive in Waterloo, Canada. Working from a verbal brief Matt led the full process from ideation through to final implementation. Having created his design based on the ambience, architecture and style of the business, Matt presented it to the client. Once approved, he moved quickly into production, bringing the vision to life with precision and efficiency.
Arbor by MattCreative
The Solution
To bring the striking Neon Tree, named Arbor, to life in the centre of the space Matt selected the PixLite® E4-S Mk3. This was due to its ability to deliver advanced control without the need for onboard power management.
To achieve the design Matt decided to separate the LED tubes into four sections using a multiport solution. Connecting the 28 LED tubes to the four inputs posed challenges. Matt engineered a clean solution through a serpentine placement of tubes by placing the controller in a black project box and using cable retention glands to protect from wire-pulls and other potential hazards.
This set up allowed Matt to install one clean box above the installation connected via cables. A secondary benefit of this design is that the team can easily remove and inspect the controller as required for maintenance or servicing.
Arbor in Action
Advatek's Role
By using the PixLite® E4-S Mk3 Matt was able to ensure reliable operation of the installation. Matt had this to say:
Creating these installations is often quite a complex technical problem-solving process as much as it is a creative process. Every piece of the installation has to be designed, fabricated, and tested - so when we find a component that is reliable, we're going to keep using it. Using Advatek controllers means we never have to worry about controllers. We figure out our needs, find the controller that works best, and the problem is solved so we can focus on the endless array of details downstream.Matt Jones – Principle at MattCreative
The Result
Arbor features over 6,000 programmable LEDs, spans 24 feet in diameter and stands at a whopping 12 feet tall. With visualizations generated in real-time. All powered by the PixLite® E4-S Mk3.
The Mk3's proven performance gave Matt and the team the confidence to focus on the creative elements, knowing the technology would deliver. The result is a striking centerpiece that enhances Revive's atmosphere and will continue to bring joy to patrons for years to come.
Special thanks to MattCreative, Rami Said, Joe Said, Daniel Marin, Jenny Wettlaufer, Shaemus Tracy, Andy Lee and Macel Bosseau.
