San Francisco’s Obscura Digital illuminated the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and the historic Al Jahili Fort in Abu Dhabi to mark the 40th Anniversary of the United Arab Emirates National Day. The mesmerizing show featured a series of original designs and visual representations illustrating the unique artistic styles of the mosque, while they simultaneously brought the Al Jahili Fort to life with a symbolic journey of the UAE using historical imagery.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110316/SF62472LOGO-b )

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111202/SF16641 )

Photos of the event are available at www.obscuradigital.com/press

"It is an honor for Obscura Digital to work on one of the most important celebrations in the country, and a privilege to be the first to project a show on the extraordinary architecture of the Grand Mosque," stated Travis Threlkel, Co-Founder of Obscura Digital. "This monumental event was an opportunity to create a large-scale work of fine art and set a new standard for architectural projections."

Obscura Digital’s team was the first to generate a laser scan of the surface area of the Grand Mosque and to create a 3-D model mapping the hand-carved, intricate details of the complex geometry of the mosque. This included the facade, 4 minarets, and 12 domes, for a projection area that is 600ft (182m) wide by 351ft (107m) high.

Sheikh Zayed’s original vision for the Grand Mosque was a centre of cultural collaboration promoting mutual understanding between communities from all around the world. Scenes found throughout the interior of the mosque demonstrate Sheikh Zayed’s passion for the environment, depicting gardens of paradise, date palms, and pentagonal geometry created by an array of international artists. Interpretations of these artistic elements were woven into the show projected by Obscura Digital onto the exterior of the Grand Mosque.

In addition to the Grand Mosque, Obscura Digital illuminated the Al Jahili Fort in the oasis city of Al Ain, with a visual tribute to the early history of the UAE, including scenes of Sheikh Zayed’s life and the ruling leaders of the UAE, and a montage of the pearl trade, Bedouin life, agriculture, and the natural elements that had a significant impact on the progression of the Nation.

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