The most highly tipped rock “n’ roll exhibition of all time — the Rolling Stones’
Exhibitionism at the Saatchi Gallery in London — uses technology on a grand scale
to create the realism of the band’s early history, and enhance the visitor experience
through seven separate zones.



Produced and curated by Australian event company IEC (International Entertainment
Consulting), the lighting design has been created by another major event company,
Woodroffe Bassett Design (WBD). They, in turn, have specified a number of LED
fixtures from GLP, who are the nominated exclusive automated lighting partner.



The inventory was supplied and installed through partners White Light, under the
project management of Simon Needle. This included 25 GLP impression X4, each
featuring 19 high output RGBW LEDs, along with six of the new X4 Bar 20 high
performance battens. All appear in the “Performance’ gallery where visitors are
magically “transported’ from a backstage area onto stage (as if a member of the
band) before being “returned’ to the audience. In addition, GLP Inc in North America
also supplied nine Fusion LED RGB fixed beam battens from Scenex Lighting, for
whom they are distributors, and these are located in the “Style’ section of the show.



The Rolling Stones’ first international exhibition occupies the entire two floors,
combining over 500 original Stones’ artefacts, with striking cinematic and
interactive technologies offering a comprehensive and immersive insight into the
band’s fascinating 50-year history. This includes never-before-seen dressing room
and backstage paraphernalia, rare instruments, original stage designs, iconic
costumes, rare audio tracks, video footage and much more — including a unique
wraparound cinematic experience that celebrates every aspect of their careers.



As the band’s long-term lighting designer and show director, Patrick Woodroffe says
that the idea of a full-blown exhibition had been discussed regularly over the past
20 years.



While Woodroffe himself worked with John Coman to light the Performance area,
his co-director, Adam Bassett, took the lead on the lighting of the exhibition,
assisted by Coman and Miriam Bull.



Each gallery has its own lighting control DMX playback unit. Most galleries have a
very simple set of cues, the exceptions being the screening room in the Film gallery
and Performance. Here the environment reacts to contact closures provided by
Electrosonic that allow the lighting to respond to the start and end of the film.



Lighting in the “Performance’ gallery is run off a GrandMA PCcommand wing, which
receives timecode signal from the Electrosonic device. It is via this timecode that
the live element is synchronised with the video playback.



Summing up, Woodroffe praised Ki McGinity and the team from IEC Exhibitions
“who made the whole thing happen.’ He said, “This was a hugely challenging but
ultimately rewarding project for everyone involved; a strong creative team with the
support of a generous and imaginative producer and the input from the Rolling
Stones themselves at every step resulted in a technically superb but also
emotionally connected experience for everyone who will see it.’



After the London exhibition ends on September 4, the giant production will tour
another 11 global cities over the next four years.