Background

In 2014, BARTKRESA studio began exploring 360-degree projection-mapped sculptures with their piece, Shogyo Mujo.  The twelve-foot-tall skull is the large-scale realization of sculptor and collaborator Joshua Harker’s signature design, Crania Geodesica.  BARTKRESA studio has developed a library of more than thirty animations that transform the skull into uncommon, musically driven scenes.  Shogyo Mujo premiered at Burning Man, and toured to Adobe Max, SIGGRAPH, and the Life is Beautiful Festival.  The piece is now a flagship installation at Area 15 in Las Vegas. 

The name Shogyo Mujo represents the first of the three marks of Dharma, which states that all things are impermanent.  Each iteration of this piece embodies an intersection of the physical and the imagination.

ARTISTS

Bart Kresa

Bart Kresa is an award-winning Master Projection Designer, who works in large-scale, high-end projection mapping.  He has over 25 years of industry experience in developing engaging projections.

Born in Poland, Mr. Kresa has lived in the United States for almost thirty years.  He is a trained musician, composer, photographer, and designer.  Mr. Kresa’s first architectural projections took place in 1995.  His diverse background combined with his experience in lighting and multimedia design to inform his early work in projections, and continues to inspire his design process.  He began working with still slides, and now uses the most powerful projectors on the market.

BARTKRESA studio

BARTKRESA studio is a premiere projection mapping company that specializes in developing one-of-a-kind experiences around the world.  Their mission is to utilize design, light, and story to create unparalleled digital displays. BKS combines timeless artistry, industry-leading projectors, and the highest technical standards to develop brilliant, immersive projected environments.

Master Projection Designer, Bart Kresa, founded the studio in 2006, in Santa Monica, CA.  BARTKRESA studio has artists, developers, and technologists at their headquarters in Santa Monica, CA, as well as in Poland and Japan.  From achievements in themed entertainment, to recognition for design and leadership, BARTKRESA studio’s exemplary work continues to redefine industry standards.

Joshua Harker

Joshua Harker is an American artist known for his use of 3D printing, CAD design, and digital sculpting.  He incorporates video, projections, 3D scanning, and biometrics into his work, as well.  When mutual friend, Veronique Pittman, recommended that Mr. Harker and Mr. Kresa collaborate on a piece for Burning Man, they used Mr. Harker’s Crania Geodesica sculpture as the canvas for Mr. Kresa’s projection designs.

Mr. Harker is originally from Los Angeles, and his work has been exhibited all over the world, as well as in numerous online publications.  See Mr. Harker’s full bio and work at joshharker.com.

Media

SIGGRAPH
SIGGRAPH
SIGGRAPH
SIGGRAPH
Adobe MAX
Adobe MAX
Life if Beautiful
Burning Man

Appearances

  • Area 15

    Las Vegas, Nevada
    USA, 2020

    Shogyo Mujo is now a flagship installation at Area 15 in Las Vegas.  Opening in 2020, Area 15 is a futuristic retail, dining, and entertainment complex in Las Vegas.  They bill themselves as counterculture and unprecedented.  Shogyo Mujo is the very first thing that guests will see when they enter the 40-acre venue, and this piece sets the standard for innovative experiences rooted in art and light.

  • Life is Beautiful Festival

    Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, 2018

    During the 2018 Life is Beautiful music and arts festival in Las Vegas, Shogyo Mujo was the centerpiece of the Area 15 pop-up.  Area15, a futuristic retail, dining, and entertainment complex in Las Vegas, wanted to make a bold impression at the annual festival, which takes over eighteen blocks in downtown Las Vegas.  The combination of Shogyo Mujo’s graphic shape, bold projections, and vast library of content created a unique experience that resonated both in person, and on social media.

  • Burning Man

    Black Rock City, Nevada, USA, 2017

    When BARTKRESA studio announced the return of Shogyo Mujo at Burning Man 2017, comments flooded social media. One person, who had seen Shogyo Mujo in a previous iteration commented, “Seeing [Shogyo Mujo] three years ago was incredible and utterly captivating...” Throughout the festival, Burners shared pictures and videos on Instagram, calling Shogyo Mujo mesmerizing.

  • SIGGRAPH

    Los Angeles, 2015

    Shogyo Mujo was featured in the SIGGRAPH 2015 Emerging Artist forum. From August 11–13, 2015, this sculpture illuminated the Los Angeles Convention Center.  More than 20,000 artists, researchers, and professionals in graphics, gaming, animation, and interactives attended SIGGRAPH.

  • AdobeMax Creative Conference

    Los Angeles, 2014

    Adobe asked BARTKRESA studio to provide a distinctive art installation during their annual conference.  Shogyo Mujo was the focal point of an outdoor event that featured the glowing sculpture against a backdrop of the LA skyline.  Over 5,000 guests reveled in Shogyo Mujo’s library of thirty rotating animated looks.  BARTKRESA studio also covered the ceiling of the vast tent with complementary animations, transforming the event space for each of Shogyo Mujo’s scenes.

  • Burning Man

    Black Rock City, Nevada, USA, 2014

    Adobe asked BARTKRESA studio to provide a distinctive art installation during their annual conference.  Shogyo Mujo was the focal point of an outdoor event that featured the glowing sculpture against a backdrop of the LA skyline.  Over 5,000 guests reveled in Shogyo Mujo’s library of thirty rotating animated looks.  BARTKRESA studio also covered the ceiling of the vast tent with complementary animations, transforming the event space for each of Shogyo Mujo’s scenes.

Evolution

Mr. Kresa and his studio continue to develop sculptural new media art experiences. Sviatovid, a 360-degree projected, 15-foot-tall faceted totem, premiered at ISE in 2019. BARTKRESA studio has multiple pieces integrating interactivity and AI into projections that are slated to premiere in 2020.

BARTKRESA studio
SVIATOVID
BARTKRESA academy