Watercolor Story: Immersive Digital Art for MGM Cotai Spectacle
An Immersive Award-Winning Masterwork across 25 LED Displays at MGM Resorts Luxury Atrium in Macau
Animated ink and watercolor projection on world's largest indoor LED screen
Watercolor Story is a large-scale immersive digital art installation created by cFire in collaboration with Light & Space artist Zheng Chongbin. Designed for MGM Cotai’s Spectacle—the world’s largest indoor LED wall array—the 10-minute animated work unfolds in real time across 25 LED screens, blending traditional Chinese pigments, masterful ink-brush techniques, and cutting-edge animation technology.
Large-Scale LED Video Wall Art in Macau
Spanning the full height and breadth of MGM Cotai’s Spectacle lobby, Watercolor Story is a seamless fusion of art and technology. The piece transforms the vast LED display into a living canvas, capturing the fluidity of watercolor and the meditative rhythm of brushwork at monumental scale.
Immersive digital art installation “Watercolor Story” by cFire and Zheng Chongbin, showing cranes in flight over watercolor mountains on MGM Cotai’s Spectacle LED wall in Macau.
Collaboration Between cFire and Zheng Chongbin
Artist Zheng Chongbin and cFire’s "Watercolor Story," delves into the profound connection between the ancient art of ink brush painting and the luminous realm of digital technology. Bringing together cFire’s expertise in architectural-scale content production and Zheng Chongbin’s mastery of traditional and contemporary art forms, the project embodies the Spectacle’s mission to present art as a living, breathing part of the guest experience.
Two white cranes in flight over a vivid red watercolor background, part of the animated digital art sequence in “Watercolor Story” at MGM Cotai.
Real-Time Rendering Across 25 LED Screens
Unlike pre-rendered video loops, Watercolor Story paints itself live, using a custom animation system optimized for the Spectacle’s unique screen configuration. This real-time approach allows for subtle, ever-changing details that encourage repeat viewing and longer engagement times.
Blue ocean-inspired watercolor animation from “Watercolor Story” displayed across multiple LED walls inside the MGM Cotai Spectacle in Macau, created by cFire and Zheng Chongbin.
Blue ocean-inspired watercolor original artwork by Zheng Chongbin from “Watercolor Story”, animated into video scenes for the MGM Cotai Spectacle in Macau, created by cFire and Zheng Chongbin.
Cultural and Iconic Immersive Experience across LED Video Walls
In contemplating the essence of my creation in collaboration with technical studio cFire, "Watercolor Story," one must delve into the profound connection between the ancient art of ink brush painting and the luminous realm of digital technology. The raison d'être of this work is in the celebration of the Chinese New Year, acting as an illuminated tapestry woven to accentuate the enduring bond between Macau and the heartland of China.
Ink and watercolor painting of traditional boats by Zheng Chongbin, a concept artwork for the large-scale immersive installation “Watercolor Story” at MGM Cotai.
3 Acts of Ink Brush Tradition, Timeless Hues and Icons, Across Luminous Strata
Each act within "Watercolor Story" reveals vibrant echoes of traditional Chinese ink hues: the fiery passion cinnabar red, the tranquil allure of aquamarine, and the boundless depths of cerulean blue.
Colorful fish and a shark swimming in blue watercolor currents, a scene from the “Watercolor Story” immersive animation displayed on MGM Cotai’s Spectacle LED screens.
As the curtain rises on each act, a canvas of traditional ink is populated with iconic figures from Chinese and Macanese heritage—cranes, fish, and sailing vessels, meticulously rendered in the eloquent strokes of ink brush mastery.
These living symbols traverse the landscapes of mountains and the tranquil waters of Macau Harbor, evoking a sense of timelessness and continuity.
For a deeper dive, please see the Making Of The Watercolor Story, featuring Behind the Scenes footage of the art, the animation and the methodology behind the immersive digital artwork.
Bring Digital Art to Your LED Walls
Contact cFire to learn how our immersive content and custom animation technology can transform large-scale LED displays into unforgettable visual experiences.
“The use of traditional colors and icons including cranes, fish, mountains and water represent familiar cultural values shared by both China and Macau such as longevity, wisdom, good fortune, power, prosperity, luck, and harmony. ”
Results: LED Video Walls as an Iconic Immersive Digital Artwork
1.Engaging Experience - Watercolor Story offered guests a bespoke unparalleled immersive experience, making it a standout brand activation.
2.Innovative Use of Traditional Art - Watercolor Story is a first-of-its-kind ink brush painting, that came to life digitally on the world's largest indoor LED wall installation, making it an exceptional digital art experience.
3.Enhancing Brand Positioning - Watercolor Story enhanced the positioning MGM Cotai as a luxury destination with a distinct authentic artistic offering, reinforcing its brand and unique value proposition.
4.Cultural Relevance - Watercolor Story captured the essence of Chinese New Year, a significant cultural event in Macau, and highlighted the destination's deep connection with China, making it a culturally insightful brand experience.
Awards: Watercolor Story Won Best-in-Show for the 2023 Emerging Technology - Arts and Culture Category.
Best in Show: Virtual & Immersive Experiences-Arts & Culture
Gold: Creative Innovation-World-Building Design