MONTREAL, Dec. 17, 2014 /CNW Telbec/ - Until February 1, 2015, two new public art installations can be discovered in the fifth annual Luminothérapie in Montreal's Quartier des spectacles: Prismatica by Raw Design and Fascinoscope by Lüz Studio. Luminothérapie is an opportunity for creators to present light-based works in the public spaces of the Quartier des Spectacles and help make the spaces a major attraction in the heart of Montreal.
This year, interactivity is a particularly important part of Luminothérapie. The public can participate by making Prismatica's giant prisms rotate on Place des Festivals and by playing Fascinoscope's four carnival games outside Saint-Laurent metro station.
The works are on display for free daily, with Prismatica open around the clock and Fascinoscope starting at nightfall.
Every Friday and Saturday in January from 5 to 8 p.m., Place des Festivals will feature one food truck, allowing visitors to enjoy a fireside snack while enjoying the light show.
Starting January 15, there will be free guided tours of the Luminothérapie works. Online registration will begin on January 6.
For more information about Luminothérapie: www.quartierdesspectacles.com/lumino
"Luminothérapie brings a playful, creative touch to winter in the Quartier des Spectacles. By presenting new works every year, the event democratizes public interactive art and makes it an integral part of Montreal's DNA. It is an exceptional calling card for our city, helping it earn an excellent reputation among cities that are distinguishing themselves as cultural centres," said Jacques Primeau, chair of the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership.
"I am once again proud to say that Montreal's reputation extends well beyond our borders, and that as a UNESCO City of Design, the city is attracting a great deal of interest from creators. Luminothérapie is an important platform for the next generation of designers and a gathering place for all Montrealers and visitors. It democratizes art and encourages discussion," said Manon Gauthier, the Ville de Montréal's executive committee member responsible for culture, heritage, design, Space for Life and the status of women.
Prismatica by Raw Design
Open 24/7
This immersive installation, comprised of 50 pivoting prisms more than two metres tall, transforms the Place des Festivals into a giant kaleidoscope. The prisms are made of panels laminated with a dichronic film that transmits and reflects every colour in the visible spectrum, varying with the position of the light source and the observer. The prisms are mounted on bases containing projectors. As visitors wander among and manipulate the prisms, they will enjoy an infinite interplay of lights and colourful reflections. As the prisms rotate, a variable-intensity soundtrack comprised of bell sounds will play.
RAW Design (Toronto)
RAW Design is a Toronto-based architectural firm that works on a wide variety of scales and project types. From community greenhouses to large residential developments, not to mention outdoor interactive installations, its team of 30 architects and designers takes a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach. For Prismatica, the firm assembled a team of professionals from several fields (applied science, technology, art and architecture).
Lighting design
ATOMIC3 + Jean-François Piché
Sound design
Dix au carré
Production and technical direction
ATOMIC3 + Louis Héon
Fascinoscope by Lüz Studio
Sunday to Thursday: nightfall to 11 p.m.
Fridays and Saturdays: nightfall to 1 a.m.
With Fascinoscope, the eight permanent video projection sites in the Quartier des Spectacles evoke the atmosphere of an early 20th-century carnival. Each projection is accompanied by an original soundtrack of organ, bass and drum music.
Outside Saint-Laurent metro station, the work's focal point, the public is invited to play four interactive games inspired by carnival classics. Players control the games with four small punching bags fitted with sensors that measure their rotation and speed. By punching the bags, players interact with the projection and score points to win the game.
The interactive games (outside Saint-Laurent metro station)
4 players maximum
The video projection sites:
Lüz Studio (Montreal)
Lüz Studio is a Montreal-based visual design company providing integrated lighting, stage design and video content services. Specializing in the performing arts, the firm takes a unique creative approach. The team includes nine creators and several collaborators who have worked, together and individually, on projects for Broken Bells, Adam Cohen, Rock et Belles Oreilles, the Gémeaux awards gala, Cirque du Soleil and Wintuk.
Sound design: XS, la petite boîte à musique
The Luminothérapie competition
Luminothérapie is Quebec's largest competition for temporary installations. Organized in two parts, its purpose is to present an original, interactive wintertime experience for visitors to the Quartier des Spectacles, and to stimulate creativity in urban installations and digital art. It is the only time of year when all of the video projection sites in the Quartier feature the work of a single creator.
The Quartier des Spectacles
The Quartier des Spectacles is Montreal's cultural heart, boasting North America's most concentrated and diverse group of cultural venues. The district is the year-round host to countless festivals and events, many of which include free outdoor shows and activities. The Quartier also hosts innovative urban installations involving cutting-edge lighting design, immersive environments or interactive digital spaces. The Quartier des Spectacles is an international showcase for new multimedia technology, making Montreal a global leader in the field. For more information, visit quartierdesspectacles.com.
Montreal UNESCO City of Design
Montreal is part of UNESCO's Creative Cities Network in the Cities of Design category. The Network, which includes 69 cities in 32 countries, helps creators in member cities share their experiences, while promoting the international exchange of best practices and knowledge. The Ville de Montréal's Bureau du design works with the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership on preparing and running this annual competition. Such competitions are among the many commitments taken on by the city and the partners in Action Plan 2007-2017 – Montréal, Cultural Metropolis, which aims to promote excellence in design and architecture while affirming Montreal's status as a UNESCO City of Design.
Photos and videos:
On our FTP (does not work with Google Chrome)
ftp://remote.quartierdesspectacles.com/
Username : medias
Password : medias
Image with caption: "Fascinoscope by Lüz Studio, Photo : Cindy Boyce (CNW Group/PARTENARIAT DU QUARTIER DES SPECTACLES)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20141217_C8337_PHOTO_EN_9636.jpg
Image with caption: "Prismatica by Raw Design, Photo : Cindy Boyce (CNW Group/PARTENARIAT DU QUARTIER DES SPECTACLES)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20141217_C8337_PHOTO_EN_9637.jpg
Image with caption: "Quartier des spectacles / Montréal ville UNESCO de design (CNW Group/PARTENARIAT DU QUARTIER DES SPECTACLES)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20141217_C8337_PHOTO_EN_9638.jpg
Image with caption: "Bureau du design de Montréal / Secrétariat à la région métropolitaine de Québec (CNW Group/PARTENARIAT DU QUARTIER DES SPECTACLES)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20141217_C8337_PHOTO_EN_9640.jpg
SOURCE: PARTENARIAT DU QUARTIER DES SPECTACLES
Marie-Joëlle Corneau, 514-348-9676, [email protected]
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