Spain-China international relations
The exhibition has had to overcome the problems derived from the combination of its international nature and the situations arising from COVID. The first project was carried out in the middle of a pandemic, so the exhibition had to face problems of opening borders and changes in the conditions that were established in international relations as a result of COVID. All of this problem led to a modification and adaptation of the project throughout the process, both ideation and execution.
Two curators: two exhibition lines = a single set
In this project there have been fundamentally two curatorial lines: on the one hand, the Chinese curator Ningbin Hou, who established a narrative of a historical and archaeological nature and, on the other hand, Marcos Martinón, whose curatorship has given a great scientific and didactic load to the project. , with a discourse that starts from experimental archeology and from the laboratory to the visitor, through a plot thread taken to the "Zoom" stations through digital media, video mapping, models, etc.
The exhibition and its architectural scenography
The exhibition that narrates the unification of China under the leadership of Emperor Qin, is located in the temporary exhibition space of the MARQ in Alicante. This space is made up of three rooms and a hallway that serves as an anteroom and introduction to each exhibition room, based on a large graphic textile canvas that contextualizes the information that can be visited in each one.
The Legacy of the Qin and Han Dynasties, The Warriors of Xi'an by Rocamora. Photograph courtesy from the studio.
Room 1
"The War": A raging ocean of black lanterns in an asymmetrical room, with a life-size sculpture of the emperor on horseback, veiled behind a cloth and mapped by a war audiovisual.
In the first room, the interwar period is highlighted, on a historical-chronological level. At this point in history, China does not yet exist as a single great nation, but is instead made up of different territories. This is a turbulent moment of political and territorial instability, represented in the breaking of symmetry in the furniture and exhibition cases.
The museography of this room represents the conquering emperor and warrior, so the main pieces are those corresponding to the panoply of the warrior on horseback, with all the weapons and armor, along with an imposing sculpture of this protagonist warrior emperor.
The sculpture is veiled behind carefully selected fabrics, where the translucency that filters the direct vision of the sculpture of Emperor Qin gives us the sensation of Chinese shadows, Intangible Heritage of Humanity. This resource, in turn, evokes the gesture of prohibition, of "not being able to look the emperor in the eyes or hear his voice" as the chronicles tell it.
The upper part of the room simulates a moving wave, based on a layer of black lanterns, made of weightless and light material, with subtle movement. The color black in Chinese culture is a neutral color, symbolizing the northern and western sky, a color that represents immortality, knowledge, stability and power, tinted here with a red light that emphasizes the feeling of upheaval and instability. , of violence.
The Legacy of the Qin and Han Dynasties, The Warriors of Xi'an by Rocamora. Photograph courtesy from the studio.
Room 2
"The Emperor Qin": A symmetrical room, under an architectural structure with a false perspective and papyrus walls, which represents the stability of the new country.
The second room historically represents the unified country, the new China, under the same power, the same currency, weights and measures, writing, etc. A period that represents this stability based on the archaeological collection on display, and an emperor ruling like a sculpture in the center of the room, in a symmetrical, palatial and solemn environment. Once again, the veiled sculpture brings us Chinese shadows and safeguards the prohibition of direct vision of the emperor.
The calligraphy using a ritual brush with ink, arranged around the perimeter of the room, evokes the ceremonial, on a support that recalls and simulates rice paper, an original organic material. The upper part emulates geometric elements and colorimetry of traditional Chinese architecture, through an orthogonal pyramidal interlacing of wooden structure.
Finally, a didactic and scientific space where the original pigmentation, now lost, of the sculptures of the warriors and the painting processes are recovered from the application of video mapping, in addition to some tactile pieces made in 3D printing and models of explanations of what the construction process of a terracotta warrior was like.
The Legacy of the Qin and Han Dynasties, The Warriors of Xi'an by Rocamora. Photograph courtesy from the studio.
Room 3
The room of the TERRACOTTA WARRIORS
In this room, the arrangement of the sculptures colonizing the space in the cylindrical display cases allows the visitor to feel inside the emperor's tomb, an immersive experience where the warriors surround you, with a mirror on the ceiling that causes, in its reflection, that the The visitor sees himself integrated into the group of sculptures, as one more.
This exhibition is the first in which the warriors can be observed in 360 degrees and up close, and where you can appreciate every detail from all perspectives, to discover that each warrior has the face of the person he represented, therefore , that each sculpture has a different face.
After contemplating the warriors, the visitor goes to the next area of the exhibition to a space of a social nature, recovering the memory and names of some workers who molded these terracotta warriors. In this space the 12 names of these workers are listed as part of a tribute to their efforts and a recognition of their suffering, which made this colossal work possible.
Closing exhibition to connect with the China of the present and future
A final exhibition space, in the MARQ Library, where the exhibition closes with an artistic installation that talks about current Chinese culture, the cultural remnants of its ancestral past and its link with today's China, "contemporary China." , to be able to bring history, past, present and future together through memory, archeology and that decisive step towards multiculturalism and the internationalization of the country.
The Legacy of the Qin and Han Dynasties, The Warriors of Xi'an by Rocamora. Photograph courtesy from the studio.
Didactics and Accessibility through 3D printing elements
The exhibition houses 14 digital scientific stations for information implementation. In addition, there are touch stations, with 3D printed reproductions of parts for volumetric interpretation. The contents of the exhibition are available in braille and in guide signs.
Sustainable and environmentally friendly exhibition
All materials used for the construction and realization of the museum architecture are 100% recyclable; In addition, 23% of the facilities are rented, which reduces production costs.
All museum architecture composed of wood or wood fiber board is formaldehyde free. It should also be noted that the graphics displayed on printed textiles have been produced using eco-solvent inks, that is, they do not release volatile organic compounds into the atmosphere and the liquids used in their composition are 100% biodegradable.
Additionally, the project incorporates sustainable practices by planning for glass recycling at future exhibitions, demonstrating a commitment to environmental responsibility.
Architectural techniques for an immersive exhibition
Each room contains a scent designed specifically for the environment and exhibition space, which facilitates the immersive experience. Up to five musical pieces have also been added, composed and performed by the composer Luis Ivars, which provide sound context, performed using traditional musical instruments.
The route has rest spaces and other spaces designed for interpretation, to gain fluidity, stability and comfort for each group of visiting public.
In the third room, which houses the Terracotta Warriors exhibition, the arrangement of the sculptures in cylindrical display cases is essential to create an immersive experience.
The Legacy of the Qin and Han Dynasties, The Warriors of Xi'an by Rocamora. Photograph courtesy from the studio.
The support structures were designed to ensure the stability and safety of the exposed pieces, using resistant and lightweight materials to minimize visual impact and enhance visibility from any perspective.
In each room, the false ceilings have been worked on so that the visitor is provided with a totally immersive visit.
In the first room, the false ceiling simulates a moving wave using black lanterns tinted with red light. The support structure of these lanterns was designed to ensure a subtle and harmonious movement, using light materials and suspension techniques to achieve a of weightlessness. A metal substructure was implemented that completely covers the space, with cable lines, suspending the lanterns at various heights to achieve a movement effect.
The architectural and aesthetic challenge is evident in the ceiling of room 2, where EPS beams painted red simulate a wooden framework. The support structure for these beams was conceived to achieve subtle and harmonious movement, using lightweight materials and suspension techniques that provided an appearance of weightlessness.
The mirrors on the ceiling of room 3 were selected to offer a clear and impartial reflection, integrating visitors with the sculptures and allowing them to appreciate details from unusual perspectives. The architectural strategy of creating reflective spaces helps immerse the public in the emperor's tomb.
The set of mirrors in the apse of room 3 stands out, where spy glass is used to avoid reflections from visitors. On the back, a tilted mirror is incorporated that generates a surprising "infinite" repetition effect.
The exhibition has had to overcome the problems derived from the combination of its international nature and the situations arising from COVID. The first project was carried out in the middle of a pandemic, so the exhibition had to face problems of opening borders and changes in the conditions that were established in international relations as a result of COVID. All of this problem led to a modification and adaptation of the project throughout the process, both ideation and execution.
Two curators: two exhibition lines = a single set
In this project there have been fundamentally two curatorial lines: on the one hand, the Chinese curator Ningbin Hou, who established a narrative of a historical and archaeological nature and, on the other hand, Marcos Martinón, whose curatorship has given a great scientific and didactic load to the project. , with a discourse that starts from experimental archeology and from the laboratory to the visitor, through a plot thread taken to the "Zoom" stations through digital media, video mapping, models, etc.
The exhibition and its architectural scenography
The exhibition that narrates the unification of China under the leadership of Emperor Qin, is located in the temporary exhibition space of the MARQ in Alicante. This space is made up of three rooms and a hallway that serves as an anteroom and introduction to each exhibition room, based on a large graphic textile canvas that contextualizes the information that can be visited in each one.
The Legacy of the Qin and Han Dynasties, The Warriors of Xi'an by Rocamora. Photograph courtesy from the studio.
Room 1
"The War": A raging ocean of black lanterns in an asymmetrical room, with a life-size sculpture of the emperor on horseback, veiled behind a cloth and mapped by a war audiovisual.
In the first room, the interwar period is highlighted, on a historical-chronological level. At this point in history, China does not yet exist as a single great nation, but is instead made up of different territories. This is a turbulent moment of political and territorial instability, represented in the breaking of symmetry in the furniture and exhibition cases.
The museography of this room represents the conquering emperor and warrior, so the main pieces are those corresponding to the panoply of the warrior on horseback, with all the weapons and armor, along with an imposing sculpture of this protagonist warrior emperor.
The sculpture is veiled behind carefully selected fabrics, where the translucency that filters the direct vision of the sculpture of Emperor Qin gives us the sensation of Chinese shadows, Intangible Heritage of Humanity. This resource, in turn, evokes the gesture of prohibition, of "not being able to look the emperor in the eyes or hear his voice" as the chronicles tell it.
The upper part of the room simulates a moving wave, based on a layer of black lanterns, made of weightless and light material, with subtle movement. The color black in Chinese culture is a neutral color, symbolizing the northern and western sky, a color that represents immortality, knowledge, stability and power, tinted here with a red light that emphasizes the feeling of upheaval and instability. , of violence.
The Legacy of the Qin and Han Dynasties, The Warriors of Xi'an by Rocamora. Photograph courtesy from the studio.
Room 2
"The Emperor Qin": A symmetrical room, under an architectural structure with a false perspective and papyrus walls, which represents the stability of the new country.
The second room historically represents the unified country, the new China, under the same power, the same currency, weights and measures, writing, etc. A period that represents this stability based on the archaeological collection on display, and an emperor ruling like a sculpture in the center of the room, in a symmetrical, palatial and solemn environment. Once again, the veiled sculpture brings us Chinese shadows and safeguards the prohibition of direct vision of the emperor.
The calligraphy using a ritual brush with ink, arranged around the perimeter of the room, evokes the ceremonial, on a support that recalls and simulates rice paper, an original organic material. The upper part emulates geometric elements and colorimetry of traditional Chinese architecture, through an orthogonal pyramidal interlacing of wooden structure.
Finally, a didactic and scientific space where the original pigmentation, now lost, of the sculptures of the warriors and the painting processes are recovered from the application of video mapping, in addition to some tactile pieces made in 3D printing and models of explanations of what the construction process of a terracotta warrior was like.
The Legacy of the Qin and Han Dynasties, The Warriors of Xi'an by Rocamora. Photograph courtesy from the studio.
Room 3
The room of the TERRACOTTA WARRIORS
In this room, the arrangement of the sculptures colonizing the space in the cylindrical display cases allows the visitor to feel inside the emperor's tomb, an immersive experience where the warriors surround you, with a mirror on the ceiling that causes, in its reflection, that the The visitor sees himself integrated into the group of sculptures, as one more.
This exhibition is the first in which the warriors can be observed in 360 degrees and up close, and where you can appreciate every detail from all perspectives, to discover that each warrior has the face of the person he represented, therefore , that each sculpture has a different face.
After contemplating the warriors, the visitor goes to the next area of the exhibition to a space of a social nature, recovering the memory and names of some workers who molded these terracotta warriors. In this space the 12 names of these workers are listed as part of a tribute to their efforts and a recognition of their suffering, which made this colossal work possible.
Closing exhibition to connect with the China of the present and future
A final exhibition space, in the MARQ Library, where the exhibition closes with an artistic installation that talks about current Chinese culture, the cultural remnants of its ancestral past and its link with today's China, "contemporary China." , to be able to bring history, past, present and future together through memory, archeology and that decisive step towards multiculturalism and the internationalization of the country.
The Legacy of the Qin and Han Dynasties, The Warriors of Xi'an by Rocamora. Photograph courtesy from the studio.
Didactics and Accessibility through 3D printing elements
The exhibition houses 14 digital scientific stations for information implementation. In addition, there are touch stations, with 3D printed reproductions of parts for volumetric interpretation. The contents of the exhibition are available in braille and in guide signs.
Sustainable and environmentally friendly exhibition
All materials used for the construction and realization of the museum architecture are 100% recyclable; In addition, 23% of the facilities are rented, which reduces production costs.
All museum architecture composed of wood or wood fiber board is formaldehyde free. It should also be noted that the graphics displayed on printed textiles have been produced using eco-solvent inks, that is, they do not release volatile organic compounds into the atmosphere and the liquids used in their composition are 100% biodegradable.
Additionally, the project incorporates sustainable practices by planning for glass recycling at future exhibitions, demonstrating a commitment to environmental responsibility.
Architectural techniques for an immersive exhibition
Each room contains a scent designed specifically for the environment and exhibition space, which facilitates the immersive experience. Up to five musical pieces have also been added, composed and performed by the composer Luis Ivars, which provide sound context, performed using traditional musical instruments.
The route has rest spaces and other spaces designed for interpretation, to gain fluidity, stability and comfort for each group of visiting public.
In the third room, which houses the Terracotta Warriors exhibition, the arrangement of the sculptures in cylindrical display cases is essential to create an immersive experience.
The Legacy of the Qin and Han Dynasties, The Warriors of Xi'an by Rocamora. Photograph courtesy from the studio.
The support structures were designed to ensure the stability and safety of the exposed pieces, using resistant and lightweight materials to minimize visual impact and enhance visibility from any perspective.
In each room, the false ceilings have been worked on so that the visitor is provided with a totally immersive visit.
In the first room, the false ceiling simulates a moving wave using black lanterns tinted with red light. The support structure of these lanterns was designed to ensure a subtle and harmonious movement, using light materials and suspension techniques to achieve a of weightlessness. A metal substructure was implemented that completely covers the space, with cable lines, suspending the lanterns at various heights to achieve a movement effect.
The architectural and aesthetic challenge is evident in the ceiling of room 2, where EPS beams painted red simulate a wooden framework. The support structure for these beams was conceived to achieve subtle and harmonious movement, using lightweight materials and suspension techniques that provided an appearance of weightlessness.
The mirrors on the ceiling of room 3 were selected to offer a clear and impartial reflection, integrating visitors with the sculptures and allowing them to appreciate details from unusual perspectives. The architectural strategy of creating reflective spaces helps immerse the public in the emperor's tomb.
The set of mirrors in the apse of room 3 stands out, where spy glass is used to avoid reflections from visitors. On the back, a tilted mirror is incorporated that generates a surprising "infinite" repetition effect.
