A NEW ILLUMINATED WORKS WALK IN THE QUARTIER DES SPECTACLES

This winter, come out and explore the farthest reaches of the universe! Inspired by the complexity of the cosmos and the forces that shape it, the 14^th edition of Luminothérapie features five colourful, majestic works lining Sainte-Catherine Street West as well as an original video projection that changes according to weather fluctuations. As soon as dusk falls, kids and adults are invited to stroll through the Quartier to enjoy works from here and elsewhere, all presented for the very first time in Montreal.

Give your next winter stroll through the Quartier des Spectacles a whole new dimension!

THE WORKS ON DISPLAY

ASTERA

Esplanade basse de la Place des Arts

A night flower with multicoloured beams

Astera is a dreamlike work representing an enormous flower, 10 metres high. A distant cousin of the Canada thistle, Astera intrigues passers-by with its brilliant silvery reflections during the day. At sunset, thanks to its unique photosynthesis, it blooms fully, revealing all its splendour. A thousand dazzling colours appear in infinite variations all evening long. Like some giant, playful and multi-faceted light fixture, Astera is a flower of the night that shines and sparkles under the stars.

SOLSTICE

Rue Sainte-Catherine Ouest

An interactive work inspired by the movements of the sun and planets

SOLSTICE, a monumental interactive installation, invites the public to take control of the environment around them. It features a long alley of portals leading to a central rotating light, representing the sun. Twelve large mirrors are placed face to face along the path, creating an infinity effect that extends the space and multiplies the reflections of passers-by. Inspired by the movements of the sun and planets, the work is also a nod to seasonal changes. Throughout the experience, SOLSTICE turns visitors’ perceptions on their heads, taking them into a world where familiar landmarks seem to fade away in the blurry space between reflections, parallel dimensions and reality.

CYMOPOLÉE

Esplanade de la Place des Arts

An animated tornado that undulates under the stars

Both a work of art and a show, Cymopolée is a veritable tornado of light and sound. It illustrates a weather phenomenon that is usually seen far from our latitudes, but that may soon occur more frequently and intensely right here. In addition to its immersive and naturalistic evocation of the passage of a tornado through the city, Cymopolée captures the emotions surrounding the impacts of climate change and our collective responsibilities. As night falls, its metal structure begins to move, lighting up and appearing to undulate in the wind. Keep your eyes peeled! The work comes to life for two shows every hour.

PLANÈTES

Hydro-Québec Park

Sparkling planets cradled by the treetops

Representing a constellation of heavenly bodies, this installation can be spotted amidst the treetops. The little planets are made of vertical discs with multiple hand-carved facets, producing an optical illusion that gives their surfaces a three-dimensional appearance. It is these hundreds of tiny reflectors that allow the planets to appear and disappear in pixelated form, timed to the play of lights. The colours reflected on the planets’ textured surfaces invite viewers to lose themselves in a near-hypnotic experience.

HUGE REEDS

Sainte-Catherine W. Street, between Drummond and Clark streets

Huge Reeds with changing reflections

Huge Reeds features 30 luminous stems standing nearly 10 metres tall, each illuminated by glowing sap whose brightness varies over its length. Erected in groups of three or four along Sainte-Catherine Street West between Drummond and Clark, these giant vertical artworks serve as landmarks befitting a city the size of Montreal. Whether they are shooting stars, flames or multicoloured sparks, the lighting effects are constantly changing, with the nature of the installation following suit.

GRAVITATION

Facades of the Édifice WILDER – Espace Danse and of the pavilion Président-Kennedy of UQAM

A video projection that echoes the elements

This futuristic digital work of art gives puts the imaginations of passers-by front and centre. Taking the form of a video projection in three scenes, it offers a changing perspective on the universe. The colourful shapes are influenced by Quartier des Spectacles weather data from the last 24 hours and fluctuate between order and disorder in a floating, reassuring environment. The slightest change in wind, temperature or time of day can have a major impact on this microcosm, depicted in a science-fiction–like setting.

Luminothérapie is presented with the support and collaboration of Ville de Montréal, Tourisme Montréal, Montréal centre-ville and Place des Arts.