OOOPStudio, together with MA.BO_studio Mattia Disisto, and in collaboration with Carlo Cerri, presents a video-mapping project for New Year’s celebrations.

“The Fate of Phaeton” is the title of the video projection realized for the Cathedral of Modena, inspired by the Greek myth of the Son of the Sun, who drove his father’s chariot up to the sky to illuminate the Earth and then, striked by Zeus’ lightning, fell into the river Eridano, the Po.

“Let me just drive them for a day, so I can prove to you how worthy a son I am for so great a father… Please?”

Helios, God of the Sun, after having warned his son about the difficulties that the undertaking involved, allowed him to lead the carriage. Phaeton took the reins with the ambition of being able to accomplish such an important task: bringing light to the Earth, warming men, allowing life for all living beings. But when he soared into the sky, he was unable to tame the horses and drove the chariot in a disastrous way, getting the fire too close to the land surface: forests burned, seas and rivers dried up, snow melted and many lands became arid deserts…

Called to intervene, Zeus put an end to this havoc by striking Phaeton with one of his lightning bolts, killing him instantly. The young man’s body fell into the river, mourned by his sisters who turned into poplars.