Chatsworth House 2025
A Midwinter's Dream
Inspired by the enchanted feel, the floral setting and the spritely characters of A Midsummer Night’s Dream we propose to create a journey of poetic installations that invite visitors to feel like they’ve stepped into a living, surreal fairy tale for all ages, where the garden and house are full of dormant characters that have come to life to reveal the hidden magic of nature in its quietest season.
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Narrative:
On the coldest winter nights, when the garden falls into silence, some of Chatsworth’s fairies have escaped their winter sanctuary in the Oak Room. As the sprites roam through the house and gardens, visitors follow their shimmering trails to discover how they have awakened Chatsworth’s features; statues and portraits come to life, dormant trees whisper secrets and mythical creatures like mermaids and dragons guide the way.
At the journey’s end, the cast of fairies and their shimmering fairy dust assemble into a mesmerising choreography on the iconic facade of Chatsworth House —a mesmerising, scintillating display of dancing fairies, twinkling star dust and silvery flowers trailing the features of the facade. Winter is not still; it’s alive with unseen energy waiting to be uncovered.
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Oak Room Fairy Cabinet
(holographic fairies inside jam jars)
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The Oak Room is home to a grand Victorian display cabinet, serving as a winter sanctuary for Chatsworth's garden fairies. During the cold months, this cozy haven shelters them from the chill outside. Some fairies can be seen fluttering inside jam jars, while others have left their jars empty, venturing out to explore the house and spread their magic.
Incidental Fairies
(fairies projected onto various walls, nooks and niches)
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Now that the fairies are "out of the bag," they emerge as a whimsical leitmotif, ready to be discovered throughout the house and gardens. They flit across as projections above door frames, sprinkling fairy dust onto visitors as they pass. By plant pots, they tend the soil with a playful touch. And while beside portraits, they shoot Cupid's arrows, breathing life into the characters depicted. These Chatsworth fairies engage in delightful activities, their presence scattered across the building wherever projectors can be placed.
Fairies in Jars
(holographic fairies projected into jam jars inside small freestanding cabinets)
The motif from the Oak Room, where fairies reside in jam jars, is echoed throughout the building with smaller freestanding fairy cabinets. These specially designed cabinets house and conceal the projectors to enhance the illusion that the fairies are truly alive and magical.
Chapel Marble Animation
(projection mapping onto large marble feature)
Christmas and fairies conjure a world of sparkle, glitter, and magic. In the Chapel, the fairies have left behind a delicate cloud of shimmering fairy dust, which weaves its way along the intricate marble carvings. The result is a mesmerizing display of dancing, glimmering trails of light and glitter, tracing and accentuating the details of the Chapel's marble relief.
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Oak Stairs Talking Portraits
(projection of talking portraits onto empty canvases)
It seems the fairies' magic has awakened other characters in the building. The portraits on the Oak Stairs have come to life, engaging in lively chatter as they reminisce about Christmases past and present at Chatsworth.
Wishing Tree Paper Animation
(projection of paper vortices onto walls and/or ceiling)
Writing a wish on a small piece of paper and hanging it on a tree is a cherished Christmas tradition at Chatsworth. This year, however, a touch of magical, spritely power sweeps the wishes from the tree into a celestial vortex, carrying them heavenward and ensuring everyone's dreams have a chance to come true.