RZI Lighting, a leading provider of professional lighting rentals in the greater New Orleans area, supplied Elation’s powerful Proteus Maximus IP65-rated LED profile light for Our Moon Shines, For All the World to See, a light-based installation by multidisciplinary artist Jeffrey Meris that featured in the recent Prospect contemporary art exhibition.
Founded after Hurricane Katrina to revitalize New Orleans’ culture and economy, Prospect is a triennial exhibition that invites artists from around the world to create citywide projects that are often rooted in social justice and inspired by the city itself. The latest iteration, Prospect.6, prompted reflection on themes of climate vulnerability, colonialism, belonging, and home.
I Am a Promise
Commissioned as part of Prospect.6, which ran from November 2024 through February 2025, the Our Moon Shines, For All the World to See installation bridged New Orleans and Nassau, Bahamas, using a poetic exchange in Morse code. The message — “I Am a Promise” and its response, “I Am a Possibility” — taken from a song Meris sang daily in school — flashed between Algiers Point in New Orleans and Fort Charlotte in Nassau.
Proteus Maximus
To bring Meris’ vision to life and draw attention to the art installation, RZI Lighting supplied Elation’s 50,000-lumen Proteus Maximus lighting fixture, chosen for its intensity and reliability in outdoor environments. Positioned on a rooftop at Algiers Point for over five months — including through Mardi Gras and Super Bowl festivities — the fixtures projected the Morse code message “I Am a Promise” 24/7, ensuring maximum visibility across the Mississippi River.
“The Maximus had the right punch and could weather the elements for an extended period,” said DeShawn Robair of RZI Lighting, who programmed the lights for continuous operation. “They held up incredibly well — we only had to tech them once and that was just to slightly speed up the code sequence.”
RZI collaborated closely with Prospect New Orleans and Exhibitions Manager LB Barfield throughout the project. The client initially considered a range of lighting options, including Sky Trackers and other Elation fixtures such as the Proteus Brutus and Excalibur, but ultimately selected the Maximus for its punchiness and clarity over long distances.
Robair reports that the response from both the client Prospect and the public was great and that the installation generated buzz across New Orleans. He noted that the client has expressed interest in using similar lighting for art installations in the future.
With over 25 years of experience serving the region’s entertainment and cultural sectors, RZI Lighting has built a reputation for providing the latest entertainment technology. It consistently stocks Elation gear to ensure clients have access to the latest state-of-the-art lighting solutions.
Further information about RZI Lighting: www.rzilighting.com
Further information about Elation: www.elationlighting.com
