Press release - For immediate release

Montreal, April 5, 2016 – Ushering in the first warm days of spring, the 21 Balançoires installation will soon return to delight Montrealers and visitors. For the sixth straight year, the swings will be found on the Promenade des Artistes in the Quartier des Spectacles, from April 11 to May 29 with a return engagement from August 8 to September 5.

More than swings: a musical instrument

The installation is part street furniture and part game that invites people to participate in a musical collaboration. Each swing reproduces the sound of an instrument – piano, guitar, harp or vibraphone – and the notes are determined by how high you swing. The swings trigger musical notes, so that a melody emerges when several are in motion at once. It’s a great way to get to know the person on the next swing!

After dark, the 21 swings are illuminated, creating a dance of lights. In this eagerly anticipated and much appreciated installation, each swing moves some 8500 times a day. Come join in the fun!

Another Quartier des Spectacles experience shared with the world

21 Balançoires, a digital artwork created specifically for the Quartier des Spectacles by Daily tous les jours, entertains families and individuals passing through downtown Montreal, and it is also proving to be popular abroad. With major support from the U.S.-based Knight Foundation, a travelling version of 21 Balançoires has been built. It will be set up in Detroit in the spring of 2016, followed by a summer installation in San Jose, California. West Palm Beach, Florida and Green Mountain Falls in Colorado have also brought strangers together to share moments of musical cooperation.

“The 21 Balançoires installation is making its mark around the world, attracting attention from urban planners, designers and digital artists. The project stands out for its human scale and integration with the urban fabric, and all of it was made possible by the Partnership’s collaboration and confidence in us,” said Melissa Mongiat and Mouna Andraos, the creators of 21 Balançoires and co-founders of Daily tous les jours.

DAILY TOUS LES JOURS

Known for collaborative creative experiences presented in public spaces, Daily tous les jours is a design studio with core interests in new ways to interact and tell stories. Its multidisciplinary projects combine participation, design and technology in many forms: objects, urban design and installations, exhibitions, social experiments, events, software applications and films.

In 2013, Daily tous les jours won the Grand Award of the Shenzen (China) Design Awards for Young Talents in 2013, and two awards at the international Interaction Design Awards: first prize in the Engaging category and Best in Show.

ABOUT 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. It also presents artistic video projections on several building façades, year round. The Quartier des Spectacles is an international showcase for new multimedia technology, making Montreal a global leader in the urban exhibition of digital content. quartierdesspectacles.com

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Visuals

http://we.tl/LGLdHjb1XE
Photo credits: Ulysse Lemerise/OSA images

Video

quartierdesspectacles.com/en/21balancoires

Contact

Marie Lamoureux | marie.lamoureux@quartierdesspectacles.com | 514 923-6772