Letters to Turkestan: an immersive multimedia exploration of Central Asian history

In July 2024, the Uzbekistan Culture and Arts Development Fund launched a unique multimedia exhibition called "Jadids: Letters to Turkestan" in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. This exhibition is the first of its kind in the region, offering visitors an interactive exploration through the history of the Jadid movement. Central to the exhibition’s success is Barco’s projection technology to help deliver an engaging and immersive experience.

Context

The "Jadids: Letters to Turkestan" exhibition is designed to shed light on the Jadid movement, a progressive cultural and educational reform movement that emerged in the early 20th century in Central Asia, and the relevance of their contributions in today’s world. The exhibition spans over 1,400 square meters and features rare archival materials, including letters, articles, and photographs, many of which are being displayed publicly for the first time. With presentations in three languages, the goal is to make this important piece of history accessible and interesting, particularly targeting the younger generation to foster a deeper understanding of their cultural heritage.

The installation was carried out in collaboration with Official Distributor Sound Creations, which provided equipment and technical oversight, and Yastreb Sound, responsible for the installation and equipment testing.

Challenge

Bringing this large-scale, interactive exhibition to life came with its own set of challenges and visualization needs. The organizers needed a projection solution that could deliver high-definition images to do justice to the historical materials. Given the importance of the content, the visual experience needed to be as immersive as possible to draw visitors into the story of the Jadid movement.

The equipment also needed to be capable of handling the exhibition’s daily demands and flexible enough to support a range of interactive elements throughout the exhibit. Since the exhibition is designed to be a long-term installation, the technology had to be reliable and sustainable for the long haul.

Solution

To address these needs, the team chose Barco's G-series smartline projectors. The G-series projectors offer a versatile range from 6,000 to 22,000 lumens. Their laser projection technology delivers sharp image quality, stunning brightness and color accuracy, ensuring that every detail of the archival materials was showcased beautifully.

The size of the projectors and the wide lens range allowed for flexible installation and seamless integration into various parts of the exhibition space for full realization of the project authors’ vision. The projectors can rotate their projection axis by 360 degrees, support portrait mode, and correct trapezoidal distortions both vertically and horizontally. All projectors were mounted on the ceiling using brackets, while some were positioned on the side for portrait mode projection. The use of Barco’s UST (ultra-short throw) lenses enabled the projectors to be placed at minimal distances from the walls, significantly reducing shadows and noise from viewers.

Thanks to the Barco Projector Toolset, installation, configuration, and projector management can be conducted remotely from the operator's computer. The software’s high-quality warping and blending capabilities enables smooth multi-channel projection onto geometrically complex surfaces (such as cubes and angled walls).

Another advantage of Barco projectors is their low noise level—only 36 dB at an ambient temperature of 25 degrees Celsius. This is particularly important for multi-projector installation as "Jadids" is, where even minor background sounds can distract viewers and disrupt the dramatic atmosphere.

Plus, Barco’s support team was on hand to make sure everything ran smoothly from start to finish. The comprehensive service and support, including next-day replacement options, added an extra layer of reliability, crucial for the long-term success of the exhibition. 

Results

The "Jadids: Letters to Turkestan" exhibition has been a resounding success. The Barco projection technology played a pivotal role in creating an immersive and engaging experience, allowing visitors to explore the significance of the Jadid movement in a compelling way. Positive feedback from visitors and a steady increase in attendance, particularly among young audiences, highlight the exhibition’s impact. With Barco’s help, the groundbreaking exhibition sparks interest and conversation about this important chapter in history, and it will continue to educate and inspire for years to come.