Abstraction and geometry have their expressive qualities, but architectural projection as a medium need not always go that route. VJ Sauve’s work “Homeless” is poignant, warm, and personal, crafted from hand-drawn and hand-painted media, transformed into digital animation, then projection-mapped in a way that seems to bring São Paulo’s alleyways and streets alive. Characters dance and run across the urban landscape, with a convincing blend of simulated movement and real, moving projection. It really is cinema, fusing a story with the projection-mapped setting.
The making-of video, below, is an artwork in itself; bringing in the story of how the piece was made with the story of the film. Seeing hand drawings and paint to go computer, then venture out into the Brazilian night as São Paulo’s residents look on, is its own kind of theater. And you can add this tune to the emergency playlist you queue up whenever your mood has gone glum.
More information:
ygormarotta.com
podoboo.com.ar
facebook.com/vjsuave
Director: vjsuave
Art Direction: vjsuave
Character Design: Dante Zaballa, vjsuave
Character Animation: Dante Zaballa
Animation: vjsuave
Music: Juan Tortarolo
Edition: Guillermo Coube, vjsuave
Camera: Rafael Garcia
Camera assistant: Joao Maia
Mapping: vjsuave
Locations: Rafael Garcia, vjsuave
Producer: Juliana Borges
Camera car: Neto Valesi
Supported by MTV
And for the behind-the-scenes video at bottom:
Camera: Pedro Valente, Rafael Garcia, Joao Maia
Music: “Alegria” by Los Animales Superforros
Edit: vjsuave
São Paulo, 2011
Spotted tools: After Effects, MadMapper.
Side note: can we make this the new MTV? (Or move to Brazil, then do so?)
Based in Brazil, “Vjsuave is Ygor Marotta and Ceci Soloaga a duo that creates live visual performances, urban interventions and videos. We combine plastic art with digital animation, street art with “video mapping”, endless quests for love with urban interventions.”