Imagine a video-wall of nine screens. Entrances to nine homes of recently conscripted soldiers from various parts of Ukraine are broadcast by means of stream video to the screens, in real time.
The performance was presented in the national pavilion of Ukraine at the 56th International Art Exhibition in Venice (La Biennale di Venezia). The group exhibition titled "Hope" by young Ukrainian artists was organised PinchukArtCentre with the support of Viktor Pinchuk Foundation.
Having the experience of successful collaboration in the past, the organizers entrusted technical implementation of the project by open group "Synonym to the word 'wait'" to the company Cosmonova.
Challenge accepted!
The company's specialists had to tackle a complex task. They had to set up unimpeded
video stream
from different cities of Ukraine for broadcast in Venice. That is, given different technical conditions and specifications of local providers, Cosmonova company had to guarantee stable work of all cameras and video-streams.Cosmonova's specialists proved once again their proficiency and successfully completed the task having completed all client's requirements.
Creative approach to technical tasks
Cosmonova designed a technical concept for the project to meet artists' objectives. Artists often have ideas outside the realm of reality, but the company's technical resources and creative approach of its employees allowed to fulfill all wishes of the artists.
One of the challenging stages was mounting a certain number of cameras and network equipment on locations in the cities of Zaporizhia, Melitopol, Lviv, Mykolayiv, Beregove, Ternopil, Boyarka and Kyiv. The crew of three highly professional technicians accompanied by the artist went to all the spots to set up equipment.
The company's team developed a system which routes the signal from all the cameras to the data center of Cosmonova, transcodes the video into required format and creates a mosaic of three visuals on one screen. Further on, the system automatically signs the video indicating the current time. In case of malfunction, disappeared stream is swapped temporary with pre-recorded video while technicians solve the problem.
A system of continuous monitoring of streams was also organized: technical support reacts and contacts locations, providers to remove problems. And in the final stage, the contractor in Venice was provided with full instructions and assistance in setting up the prepared streams.
Technical implementation of the project was creative, and it demanded considerable experience and professionalism. Cosmonova met all the objectives excellently.
Afterword
Hopefully, thanks to this performance, and its organizer PinchukArtCentre, people in different countries will think about what a scary, destructive force the conflict in the east of Ukraine possesses. One wants to believe, that one day, a wonderful day, every one of the nine doors will open, and the one who was awaited for so long by his loved ones will step inside.
