Light art at Art Basel Miami Beach

Project “Franchise Freedom” – a collaboration of Studio Drift and BMW – lit up the night sky above Art Basel Miami Beach. It was the first time that a swarm of 300 illuminated drones, working independently and as a group, simulated the flight patterns of starlings. 

It was a magical moment when the drones rose up into the sky. After years of preparation, the one-of-a-kind light show looked as weightless and simple as birds dancing in the air. The drone art exhibition, dubbed “Franchise Freedom”, is a true work of art spawned from the marriage of technology and nature – initiated by Studio Drift and Pace Gallery in cooperation with BMW.   

Never before has a natural phenomenon of this magnitude been recreated by autonomously flying drones. To make it happen, Studio Drift developed a special algorithm based on their observations of the flight patterns and behaviour of starlings. The drones were then able to fly through the night sky as organic, autonomous beings.

The glowing swarm moved harmoniously to the melancholy accompaniment of a piano at Miami Beach. They created a one-of-a-kind atmosphere among the excited viewers. 

The Dutch artistic duo Studio Drift researches natural phenomena, wherever it occurs. They always get their inspiration from outside. Their focus is on the creation of multi-disciplinary and interactive installations and films, sculptures and objects. They always bring to their pieces a clear blend of the latest science fiction inspired by high-tech images and poetic pictures.    

He’s known for his melancholy, yet emotional compositions on the piano. His sound mixes in perfectly with the dancing and swaying.