I’m not sure how long the plans to deck Brazil’s Christ the Redeemer statue in projection-mapped scrubs for Easter to honor the health care workers who are helping patients afflicted with the coronavirus were in the works or how much work AV integrators had to do to pull it off, but it was well worth it to me. [related]
Sure, Easter Sunday in the middle of a pandemic was a little bit different for those of us who are used to it being one of the biggest family-oriented holidays on the calendar but the projection mapping on the Rio de Janeiro landmark brought a smile to my face—and surely to millions of others who saw it too.
The flags of several countries affected by the outbreak were also projected onto the Christ the Redeemer monument, according to a CNN report. Here’s more about that unique Easter Sunday celebration not only of the doctors and nurses helping COVID-19 patients, but also of the healing power of AV tech:
The city’s archbishop, Dom Orani Tempesta, performed a mass at the base of the statue during the light show, in which he paid tribute to medical workers.
Messages of thanks in various language appeared on the statue, while pictures of medical professionals wearing scrubs and putting on face masks were also shown. The slogan “Fique Em Casa” — meaning “Stay at Home” — was projected onto the statue’s arm.
This is the second time the monument has been illuminated in response to the pandemic.
Last month, a composite of various countries’ flags was displayed on the statue, recognizing nations that have reported cases of the virus.
Brazil has so far recorded more than 22,000 Covid-19 cases and 1,230 deaths, according to figures from Johns Hopkins University.
However, President Jair Bolsonaro remains one of the few world leaders playing down the threat of the disease, dismissing it as a “little flu” and saying Brazil will suffer more if the economy collapses.
While there are certainly different approaches to dealing with the spread of the fatal virus around the world, there’s one thing we think everyone can agree on in this whole situation: the projection mapping on the Christ the Redeemer statue was pretty cool, even from a socially acceptable distance or on TV.
Here’s hoping we see more of these inspirational tributes that show the world just how much AV means to our world and why it’s important for it not to be forgotten even in the middle of a worldwide crisis.
