Colin Rothapfel owner of Custom Audio met with gallery staff to decide what could be used to brighten the façade and attract more people to the Gallery. Custom Audio had, on previous occasions, supplied the Gallery with Martin MACs to light a number of launches and the curator was keen to see what they could offer in an external environment. Rothapfel set up two Martin MAC 250+ fixtures to demonstrate their artistic abilities - a display which impressed the Gallery enough for them to commission the scheme. The compact MAC 250+ was thus chosen for its razor-sharp image projection and light output.
Gallery staff were concerned that the lights may be stolen - it wasn't that long ago that the security cameras were stolen! Consequently the brief given to Custom Audio included the need for the fixtures to be vandal proof and sheltered from the environment. The result was that the MACs are mounted high above street level - one on a modified street light pole and a second on a concrete ledge on the first floor. Custom Audio designed and manufactured the housings for the fixtures: created from aluminium and polycarbonate, these housings are watertight, stone and bug proof as well as offering an air-cooled atmosphere. Custom Audio's John Bryce constructed the housings whilst Ben McLaren set up the initial programme and installed the MAC 250+ fixtures.
(Ruth Rossington)
