MCW developed the AV and multimedia applications for the Escher Studio for the Escher's Journey exhibition at the Museum of Friesland in cooperation with XPEX Experience Experts, Fiction Factory and Leo Zandvliet.

The focal point of the Escher's Journey exhibition at the Museum of Friesland is a carefully built reproduction of artist Maurits Cornelis Escher's (1898 – 1972) workshop. Carefully crafted by Leo Zandvliet, it features elements from Escher's studios in Italy, Switzerland and Baarn (NL), where Escher settled in 1941. Several original possessions are on display, including the famous spoon used by the graphic artist – a native of Leeuwarden – to smooth the paper over his inked woodcuts.

The rest were acquired by scouring thrift shops: the quintessentially Dutch simple furniture, a copper lizard, a chess set, a framed Indonesian wajang figurine, a unique ashtray, a small ruler and of course a dodecahedron, a regular polyhedron with 12 faces that is a perfect fit for the graphic master of the optical illusion and the perfectly fitted patterns.

We created two interactive installations that are seamlessly integrated in the interior of the workshop. At the reflecting sphere selfie spot, visitors can create and share their own EscherSelfie, just like in Escher's famous lithograph print Hand with Reflecting Sphere from 1935. More than 5,000 selfies were created and shared within a couple of weeks.

Younger visitors were also taken into consideration. Using two touchscreens, children (and adults, too, of course) can create their own digital woodcut and have fun learning about Escher's artistic process, from sketching to 3D etching, inking and printing on a sheet of paper. Upon completion, the result can be shared with family and friends.

Escher's Journey runs through 24 October 2018 at the Museum of Friesland

Photography: Ruben van Vliet & MCW / creative agency