By allowing companies the option to hire without corporate memberships, this means that the National Gallery is opening up its Central London spaces to a wider range of clients than ever before. Alicia Earls, White Light's business development manager, comments: "The National Gallery is such a historic and renowned venue so this is a really exciting development. It will see more organisations use their amazing spaces and, as a result, ensure that the events they host will be elevated by taking place in such a magnificent location."
More than 300 guests attended the evening which began as an immersive experience. Attendees were transported on a journey through Monet's magical water-lily garden, moving onto the finest Baroque courts in Europe and the grandeur of 18th Century English decadence, before concluding with the beauty of the French Impressionists. Alicia adds, "The immersive experience was an ideal way to introduce the evening as, not only did it show what could be achieved within the incredible spaces at the National Gallery, but it was a reminder of the historic pieces of art that have made the venue one of the most famous galleries in the world."
White Light's project manager Phil Gladman states: "This was the ideal event for us. By supplying the lighting, rigging, video and audio, we were able to display the full extent of what we can offer as a company."
White Light's focus for the evening was on both the Barry Room and Annenberg Court. Despite both rooms being renowned for housing some of the world's finest pieces of art, the evening saw how they could be utilised as event spaces as well as provide immersive experiences. Phil comments, "In the Annenberg Court, the Gallery wanted an Ibiza theme. To capture this, we drew on our AV expertise and used projection mapping for the imagery. Similarly, we used the extensive stock from our recently expanded audio department to ensure that as soon as the attendees arrived in the Gallery they were immersed in the sounds of a garden."
One of the reasons why the National Gallery approached White Light for such an important occasion was due to the pair's established working relationship. Phil comments: "We have worked on many events at the National Gallery now. These have usually been corporate dinners, receptions or ceremonies. Every single one has varied so it has meant we have had to transform each space into something different, depending on the client's requirements."
(Jim Evans)
