CARTAGENA, COLOMBIA – Every lighting designer considers the surrounding environment when colorizing an event. For Colombian LD Victor Cervantes, this invariably means using CHAUVET DJ color washing fixtures to endow his creations with ample amounts of amber. The owner of IVC Producciones, Cervantes is based in Cartagena, a tradition-rich city on the Caribbean coast that is blessed with some of the most beautiful sunsets in the world. Each evening the setting sun casts the city’s centuries-old stone buildings in a warm glow, creating a panorama that mesmerizes locals and visitors alike.
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When lighting events in Cartagena’s bustling center, Cervantes harmonizes his work with the stunning visuals that surround him by weaving amber into his designs. “I like to work according to the environment,” he said. “I follow the lead of the sun by using a lot of amber.”
This philosophy was very much in evidence recently when Cervantes lit a prominent private event at the Cartagena Hilton. Working in a long rectangular open-air room with a thatched roof, wood beams and polished parquet floor, he created a radiant effect by accenting the area’s architectural elements with warm amber light. The interplay of amber with the white cushy furniture and geometric white fabrics that were hung on both sides of the room provided additional warmth, and strengthened the connection between the venue and the surrounding city.
Cervantes used 20 SlimPAR T12 USB and 12 COLORband PiX Mini fixtures along with dozens of stringed lights in his design. He positioned five of the SlimPAR units on the floor on each side of the room. This created a base of amber light that glowed across the floor and the white furniture.
The ten other SlimPAR fixtures in Cervantes’ rig were hung over one end of the room to accent the bar and nearby entrance area in amber. Scenic element uplighting was provided by the COLORband PiX Mini linear fixtures, completing the immersion of the room in amber.
“We were very happy with the results, and so was our client,” said Cervantes. “The decision to use the SlimPAR as the primary light was an easy one. It has a nice output. It is reliable, and it allows us to program colors very easily. This is something we like a lot about the fixture: We can use it to combine millions of colors to get the look we want, so we can create a beautiful design. We use a wide range of colors, but when we are in Cartagena at an open-air venue, amber often dominates. Amber is going to be our main color here, because we want our design to be at one with its environment.”
