Previous Omagica news and updates.

01/01/03: Omagica Wishes All a Happy and Prosperous New Year!

For Omagica, 2002 proved to be a productive and exciting year. During a generally busy and successful year of work, we pulled off three major productions.

Now we move into 2003 with great expectations for the new year. We want to wish our clients, collaborators, and friends a happy new 2003, in hope that we will continue our good work together!

Here´s a brief summary of our key 2002 projects.

The Saga of Skade
In biting Arctic cold in March, we set up "The Saga of Skade" as the opening ceremony of the Swedish national ski games in Gällivare, north Sweden. The production, supported technically, logistically and creatively by the Omagica project team, is a 20-minute laser and multimedia production revolving around the Nordic myth of Skade, inventor of the ski, and includes laser animations, effects, pyrotechnics, speech and sound.

You can read more about the production, see pictures, and download performance excerpts on the web site of the Saga of Skade at www.omagica.com/skade.

con.tent
At the end of a long and warm summer, we were proud to launch con.tent, the first audio-visual landscape installation by the AnderssonKrilandSpour group of artists. It is a 30 minute performance divided into four parts, where the overall purpose is to visualise the tension between the elements, and process the result of the abstract-concrete dialogue that forms the structure of human life. Omagica serves as the production resource for the artistic performance, whose première performance was part of the official 50 year anniversary celebrations of Upplands Väsby municipality north of Stockholm, Sweden, in August.

On the web site dedicated to the installation, you can see pictures, videos, and learn more about the installation and the artists. Visit the con.tent web site at www.omagica.com/content

Heta källor/Hot Springs
At the end of the year, the cold and darkness of December was literally lit up when Omagica helped to set up "Heta källor" (Hot Springs) at the Edsvik Art and Cultural centre north of Stockholm, one of the most important artistic scenes in Sweden.

"Heta källor" is a unique outdoor multimedia composition produced and performed by members from Konstnärsgruppen Edsvik, an association of artists which were the original initiators of Edsvik Art & Cultural centre. Omagica delivered all technology, including effects made with light, laser, water, pyrotechnics, and sound.

You can read more and see pictures on the "Heta källor" performance here.

For more information on the above productions, contact Adela Kriland, +46-8-59071202, +46-70-5490804.

Again, Omagica wishes all a Happy New Year!

(01/01/03)

11/30/02: Omagica provides the technology for special outdoor event at Edsvik Art & Cultural centre, December 7, 5 pm.

At one of the most important artistic scenes in Sweden, the Edsvik Art and Cultural centre north of Stockholm, a unique performance takes place on December 7.

Heta källor (Hot springs) is the title of an outdoor multimedia composition where Omagica is proud to deliver all technology needed, including effects made with light, laser, water, pyrotechnics, and sound.

The installation is produced and performed by members from Konstnärsgruppen Edsvik, an association of artists which were the original initiators of Edsvik Art & Cultural centre, some six years ago.

For more information, contact Adela Kriland, +46-8-59071202, +46-70-5490804.

See also: Edsvik Art & Cultural centre.

(11/30/02)

11/13/02: Omagica presents two web sites dedicated to recent projects.

Omagica has now launched two sub-web sites dedicated to two recent projects – con.tent and The Saga of Skade.

con.tent is the first audio-visual landscape installation by the AnderssonKrilandSpour group. A 30 minute performance divided into four parts, where the overall purpose is to visualise the tension between the elements, and process the result of the abstract-concrete dialogue that forms the structure of human life. Omagica serves as the production resource for the performance.

con.tent had its première performance as part of the official 50 year anniversary celebrations of Upplands Väsby municipality north of Stockholm, Sweden, August 28-31, 2002.

On the web site dedicated to the installation, you can see performance and preparations pictures, learn more about the installation and the artists, and download performance excerpts.

Visit the con.tent web site at www.omagica.com/content

"The Saga of Skade" is a 20-minute laser and multimedia production revolving around the Nordic myth of Skade, inventor of the ski, and includes laser animations, effects, pyrotechnics, speech and sound. The production is made for outdoor display in winter environments and was originally set up during the opening ceremony of the Swedish national ski games in Gällivare, north Sweden, in March 2002. The performance is supported technically, logistically and creatively by the Omagica project team.

The Saga of Skade is a grand, colorful performance for all ages, suitable for all types of public or private winter events worldwide. The story can easily be translated into other languages, and the dialogue can be given in local/regional dialects.

On the web site, you can read all about it, see pictures, and download performance excerpts.

Visit the web site of the Saga of Skade at www.omagica.com/skade

If you would like to learn more about these or other projects, contact Adela Kriland, +46-8-59071202, +46-70-5490804 or Jan Kriland, +46-8-59071202, +46-70-5490808.

(11/13/02)

09/20/02: Omagica provides laser installation for Royal Institute of Technology’s 175th Anniversary

The Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) in Stockholm, Sweden, celebrates its 175th Anniversary in 2002, with a range of festivities scattered throughout the year. Omagica provides one of the highlights.

Every night after dark between September 22 and 29, Omagica will produce a single laser beam from the bottom reaches of the R1 nuclear reactor 36 meters below ground, up to and through ground level, on to the roof of a nearby building, where the beam is rerouted across the KTH campus, hitting the cupola of the clock tower, and on across central Stockholm to the top of the City Hall tower, 2,5 kilometers away.

The beam connects the lowest point of the campus to the highest one; the final leg signals KTH´s communication with the wider society.

Hence, the 175 year anniversary beam symbolizes KTH´s depth, height, and global outreach.

R1 is the world´s only fully sanitized nuclear reactor, originally built for research purposes in the 1950’s, today used as as an experimental venue for art and media technology within KTH.

For more information, contact Adela Kriland, +46-8-59071202, +46-70-5490804.

See also:
KTH R1 reactor (incl. further information) | www.r1.kth.se
KTH Royal Institute of Technology | www.kth.se
KTH 175th Anniversary | www.kth.se/175

(09/20/02)

08/21/02: Omagica presents con.tent – an AnderssonKrilandSpour performance

Omagica is proud to present con.tent – the first audio-visual landscape installation by the AnderssonKrilandSpour group.

con.tent will have its première performance as part of the official 50 year anniversary celebrations of Upplands Väsby municipality north of Stockholm, Sweden, August 28-31, 2002.

  Read or download the press release in PDF format

(08/21/02)

04/08/02: Praise for Omagica Co-Production "Sagan om Skade"

His Majesty the King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden and local media both gave their accolades to "Sagan om Skade", the original laser performance co-produced by Omagica, highlighting the opening of the Swedish national ski games in Gällivare, north Sweden. "A brilliant laser performance. Fun!" the Swedish King told local paper Norrländska Social-Demokraten.

Around 3.000-4.000 spectators had gathered on Gällivare main square to watch the opening ceremony led by His Majesty the King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden.

Local paper Norrbottens-Kuriren writes: "The laser performance (...) was set up for the first time and the technical part of it all, served by Omagica of Upplands Väsby, worked well despite the snowfall, and was met by the acclaim of the audience. (...) General Secretary Björn Persson was all smiles.
-I am very pleased. Everything has worked out perfect and this was an opening ceremony with an Olympic Games quality to it, I have been told." (21 March 2002; unofficial translation)

Competitor NSD is equally impressed. "A very special laser performance. (...) County governor Kari Marklund was one of many who were impressed by the laser display.
-A fantastic performance, and what a fun story, he said.
It was powerful, especially when the laser beams cut through the heavy snowfall." (21 March 2002; unofficial translation)

For further information, contact Adela Kriland or Jan Kriland, ph. +46-8-59071202.

Facts About Skade:
"Sagan om Skade" ("The Saga of Skade") is a 20-minute laser and multimedia production revolving around the Nordic myth of Skade, inventor of the ski, and includes laser animations, effects, pyrotechnics, speech and sound.

The production draws upon a range of talented creatives, where Omagica has been one important participant along with artist Erling Johansson, composer/producer Håkan Rudehill and animator Jan Kriland.

The production is made for outdoor display and was originally set up during the opening ceremony of the Swedish national ski games in Gällivare, north Sweden, in March 2002 and is suitable for public or private winter events worldwide.

(04/08/02)

03/08/02: Omagica Delivers Major Outdoor Production for Ski Games Opening Ceremony

Omagica has been chosen by the City of Gällivare, Sweden, to supply an original laser and multimedia production to be set up on Gällivare´s main square as the highlight of the opening ceremony of the Total SM 2002 – the first Swedish ski championships to include all major ski sports (downhill, Nordic, ski jumping etc.) in one single event.

The ceremony will be held on Wednesday, March 20, when the games will be officially opened by His Majesty the King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden.

The 20-minute production, titled "Sagan om Skade" ("The Saga of Skade"), revolves around the Nordic myth of Skade, inventor of the ski, and includes laser animations, effects, pyrotechnics, speech and sound. The arctic environment and its characteristics – snow, ice, etc. – will also be integrated with the performance itself.

The project draws upon a range of talented creatives, where Omagica has been one important participant. Master images used in the production are made by internationally acclaimed Swedish artist Erling Johansson, living and working in Paris but with his roots in Gällivare. Script and musical score are written by Håkan Rudehill, who has conceived, directed and produced a number of remarkable performances focused around his concept "Arctic Circus".

Apart from taking part in the conceptualization and overall creative direction, Omagica contributes with laser animations, original programming and other technical production, and will support the performance through logistics, personnel, equipment and other resources.

For further information, contact Adela Kriland or Jan Kriland, ph. +46-8-59071202.

(03/08/02)

10/27/01: New Omagica Web Site

In late October 2001, Omagica is happy to announce the launch of its new web site. It has been redesigned completely and comes in two language versions, English and Spanish. The aim of the new, reworked web site is to better reflect Omagica's unique value proposition to the market.

We have strived to ensure fast loading for modem users meaning no plug-in technologies or non-HTML media formats are used on the web site. Instead, we will soon add demo materials in various formats to download from our download page.

The art of Jan Kriland will no longer be found here but on a separate web site to be launched shortly.

Please contact us if you find some bugs or experience any other problems.

(10/27/01)