Icebergs are ancient ice formations shaped by time and the elements, and they make unique sounds. As water seeps into its cracks and crevasses, an iceberg resonates like an enormous pipe organ, its tones shifting and transforming as the ice melts. Inspired by these colossal natural musical instruments, the Iceberg installation consists of a series of illuminated metal arches that each make a particular sound. Arranged to form a tunnel, the arches beckon you to enter and listen to – and even play – the giant organ.
The sounds and light travel from one end of the musical corridor to the other. Iceberg’s sound and light ambiance, evoking the pure far north, transform in response to your presence. Human activity warms the gargantuan ice blocks – a palpable sign of climate change – and transforms their original form into a visual and auditory symphony. Give it a try!
CREATIVE INTENTION
The idea of the iceberg came to us quite spontaneously as a key element in bringing winter to the city center. Indeed, an imposing structure was needed to properly occupy the vast Place des Festivals.
Félix Dagenais and Louis-Xavier Gagnon-Lebrun from ATOMIC3 and Kim Pariseau from Appareil Architecture
CREDITS
Creators, light designers and producers: Félix Dagenais and Louis-Xavier Gagnon-Lebrun Architectural design: APPAREIL architecture Sound design: Jean-Sébastien Côté Interactive module design: Philippe Jean
A co-production of ATOMIC3 and the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership and co-presented by Place des Arts
BIOGRAPHY
ATOMIC3
ATOMIC3 is a creative design studiofounded by director Félix Dagenais and lighting designer Louis-Xavier Gagnon-Lebrunthat brings together artists from all backgroundsto create unique experiences that plunge visitors into the heart of the story.
Whether interactive or contemplative, ATOMIC3's creations transform the public space to connect with people in their daily lives, inviting viewers to see the world and their environment with new eyes.Outside the “black box” of the theatre, audience members become actors and stories become participatory works, where the physical world, light, music and new technologies come together.
APPAREIL architecture is a multidisciplinary firm whose mission is to design quality environments, bespoke and unique, in the image of their residents. Its projects are rooted in Nordic culture through its choice of construction techniques, aesthetics, and materials, as well as through the use of local know-how.
APPAREIL architecture was founded in 2010 by Kim. Today, the team includes architects, designers, and technicians, as well as several collaborators. Each mandate is the subject of a concerted effort between the team members and their collaborators, who aim to draw upon the project’s constraints to build a meaningful architecture.
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Please include full photo credits: Luminothérapie, iceberg, by ATOMIC3 and Appareil Architecture, a production of Quartier des spectacles Partnership.
ABOUT LUMINOTHÉRAPIE
Launched through an initiative of the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership in 2010, Luminothérapie has a two-fold
vocation. Its goals are to give Montrealers and visitors an original winter experience in the Quartier des Spectacles, and to promote Montreal as a city of design, and to stimulate creativity in the disciplines of urban installations and digital art.
Each year, a competition is held by the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership , inviting competitors to form
multidisciplinary teams and propose installations and video projections with a strong urban design component, with
input from all artistic disciplines. Thanks to this process, the event encourages not only creativity but the emergence
of new artistic practices.
ABOUT THE QUARTIER DES SPECTACLES AND THE QUARTIER DES SPECTACLES PARTNERSHIP
The Quartier des Spectacles is Montreal’s cultural heart, boasting North America’s greatest concentration and variety 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 hosts innovative urban installations featuring cutting-edge lighting design, immersive environments and interactive digital spaces. Year round, the Quartier presents artistic video projections on building façades. The Quartier des Spectacles is also a showcase for new multimedia technology, making Montreal a global leader in the urban exhibition of digital content.
The Quartier des Spectacles Partnership, founded in 2003, is a non-profit organization with more than 80 members active in the district. It is responsible for animating the Quartier des Spectacles by programming cultural activities, managing and animating public spaces, providing distinctive illumination and promoting the Quartier as a must-visit cultural destination. The Partnership is supported by the Ville de Montréal.
