Namwon Arts Center, South Korea invests in Ayrton Argo 6 FX
“This may have been the first time I have used Ayrton fixtures but the reasons were very clear to me,” opens Jae Beak Im, Namwon Arts Center’s Lighting Director. “As a group, we took a trip to Hansam System in Seoul back in March to look at and compare lights from several different manufacturers. The Ayrton Argo 6 FX won, hands down, for many reasons: the compact size, brightness of the light source, quiet operation, the effective delivery of its features and all within a reasonable price range.”
The team who accompanied Jae Beak Im comprised six staff from the City Hall and a number of theatre experts to ensure all aspects of the purchase choice were covered. The venue itself is a relatively small, intimate space with just over three hundred seats and a stage some twenty by fifteen metres in size with a thirteen and a half metre ceiling height. In addition, the fixtures needed to be flexible enough to work in various other cultural spaces in the Center that are also used for educational and youth group presentations.
“Argo 6 FX has a vast array of features,” says Jae Beak Im. “For me and what I wanted to achieve, the most impressive are Liquid Effect™ and Infinite Rotation. It has such a wide zoom range, from 4o to 56o that, in addition to its wash capabilities, I am able to engage a huge variety of graphic effects using the Liquid Effect™, yet still apply dynamic movements throughout the stage with Infinite Rotation.”
Ho Seong Son from the technical team is in agreement: “The versatility of Argo 6 FX enables us to cover all theatre, concerts, exhibitions and corporate events, and its robust build quality reduces long-term maintenance costs. Also, the IP65 rating should not be overlooked – as an arts centre, the ability to use our outdoor spaces with confidence is very important to us. And, from the technical team’s perspective, I think the modular design makes it easy to maintain, which is especially suitable for complex spaces such as art centres.”
Since their arrival, the fixtures have been used by a variety of lighting designers for a broad range of productions as Hansam System’s Se Hoon Park explains, “The visiting designers have all highly appreciated that the same units are able to produce such a wide range of looks, from intimate moods to intense energy, as productions can range across all genres from the modern to traditional and cultural productions. With such a wide zoom range and excellent colour detail, the fixtures offer a degree of freedom of expression not often available to visiting designers.”
Hansam System, Ayrton’s exclusive distributor for South Korea, supplied the twenty-four Argo 6 FX fixtures to Namwon Arts Center. “I am very comfortable with the speed of service and technical support we have received from Hansam System,” concludes Jae Beak Im. “I am very satisfied with the whole journey, from making the initial choice of Argo 6 FX to the delivery and operational status. This is a service that feels like a ‘partnership’ rather than just a sale.”
Credits:
Text: Julie Harper
Photos: © Namwon Arts Center
