59 Productions to lead Freer|Sackler reopening

The Smithsonian’s Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M Sackler Gallery will reopen on 14 October with a special art installation from Tony Award-winner 59 Productions. Titled A Perfect Harmony, the piece celebrates the history of the Freer|Sackler Museum, home to the Smithsonian’s collection of Asian art.

A Perfect Harmony makes use of project animations and features a specially curated soundtrack. The animation – which is 12 minutes long – will be projected directly onto the museum itself.

UK-based 59 Productions is also presenting a brand new work at Edinburgh International Festival (EIF), and is part of the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao’s twentieth anniversary celebrations in October. Its EIF animation will be projected onto facades across St Andrew Square as part of the festival opening ceremony.

“Although each of the projects is radically different, they share in common a desire to find new and engaging ways to tell powerful stories by using spectacular design,” said Leo Warner, founder of 59 Productions. “Creating large-scale works for the general public is one of the most gratifying and exciting strands of 59’s artistic output, and we look forward to sharing our work with the people of Washington, Edinburgh and Bilbao.”

59 Productions won a Tony Award in 2015 for its work on the Broadway production of An American in Paris. It was also responsible for video design of the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

asia.si.edu | 59productions.co.uk