New Media Castle was a unique experience at EC7. Of all the new things we had in 2019, the transformation of the Banffy castle into an art installation was something totally new for a music festival. We’re not talking about a new stage or a stand-up show at 5 PM in the afternoon, that you’ve stumbled upon because you were so tired you needed to hug a dirty beanbag more than your own mother. New Media Castle was a combination of art, technology and some sort of magic that touched your very soul.
Basically, the castle played host to works of art signed by world-renowned artists like Memo Akten, Oliver Ratsi, Matthew Schriber and others. But the castle and the surrounding buildings weren’t just art galleries. They were transformed into works of art themselves. Every installation was custom made for the castle. The artists used the space they had to create unique art works. The whole castle felt like a new world. One that was totally new to Bontida and Electric Castle and other music fest around here
If you haven’t checked out the New Media Castle, curated by Alex Czetwertynski, one of the co-founders of Day for Night festival, an event that combines live music with art installations, don’t worry, here’s what you could experience next year:
You were too fascinated by the castle to care about the outside world
Here’s the thing, no one has time to check out artworks at a music festival. Right? Why would you sit inside when all the fun happens outside? Well, this ironclad logic went out the window at New Media Castle. You knew that everything was happening outside but as soon as you entered the castle you didn’t care anymore. You could sit for hours staring at different artworks and everything else seemed uninteresting. And you weren’t the only one:
People were parking themselves inside the castle
I’m not gonna lie, at first it was weird seeing a bunch of people looking at art installations like they were trying to remember a dream they had when they were seven. But that weird feeling disappeared once you realized what was going on. You weren’t just a spectator, you were an active participant. You were interacting with the castle on a personal level. This happened due to the fact that we’re not talking about traditional works of art here:
It wasn’t your typical art gallery
Every room available was used and nothing seemed out of place. You had art works that used light and space. There were others that had motion sensors and other technical thingies. But everything came together seamlessly. New Media Castle was the perfect place to discover many different forms of art. Modern or traditional. It even made you ask yourself: What the hell is art? And the answer was right in front of you: Absolutely everything.
You lost your sense of self and direction once you entered the castle
The castle was dark and chilly. That was the first thing you noticed. Then you started feeling like you were in a maze of sorts. You had no idea which way to go because your destination was unclear. And we’re used to rely on Google Maps to go everywhere these days. Walking inside the castle made you feel like a kid. Guided by instinct and curiosity alone. The only thing that mattered was where you’ll end up next.
