A spectacular winter for Luminothérapie | Coeur battant

Montreal, March 30, 2021 – Luminothérapie | Cœur battant, an original, safe and participatory winter art walk, attracted large numbers of Montrealers to the Quartier des Spectacles for a comforting experience in these difficult times. From December 3, 2020, to March 28, more than 130 000 people enjoyed this special edition of the winter event, featuring six thought-provoking interactive works based on sound and light. Luminothérapie has been a key Montreal winter event for more than 10 years; this season’s extended immersive experience provided treasured moments of escape and wonderment for visitors of all ages.

Luminothérapie | Cœur battant was a unique opportunity to (re)discover some iconic installations that have toured the world: Loop by Olivier Girouard, Jonathan Villeneuve and Ottoblix, Entre les rangs by KANVA, Nouvelle Lune by Sebbe Joly and Bernard Duguay, Iceberg by Félix Dagenais and Louis-Xavier Gagnon-Lebrun and Spectrum by HUB Studio.

The centrepiece, in Place des Festivals, was Loop. The installation featured a new visual design inviting visitors on a cultural journey through the pages of Quebec literature. Premiering in Montreal and presented by SODEC (Société de développement des entreprises culturelles), the new version of Loop will represent Quebec this October at the Frankfurt (Germany) Book Fair, where Canada will be the guest of honour. On the façade of UQAM’s Pavillon Président-Kennedy, Index, an all-new video projection by Ottoblix, accompanied the playful experience of Loop with festive, colourful and wonderfully imaginative imagery.

Lastly, thanks to a collaboration with MONTRÉAL EN LUMIÈRE, the winter event continued in the Quartier des Spectacles until the end of March. Montrealers enjoyed an enhanced outdoor offering of ten interactive installations. On March 4, the Quebec-made work Splinter, by Ottomata and Jack World, comprising a series of imposing and highly intriguing monoliths arranged in a circle, had its world premiere, presented jointly by both events.

“With Luminothérapie | Cœur battant, we succeeded in bringing some light to the grey winter, creating bubbles of happiness in Montrealers’ lives, while also showcasing our creators’ enormous talent. Their expertise in the use of public space is, increasingly, positioning us as a force in downtown revitalization, everywhere in the world. We are also very happy to have been able, with our partners Montréal centre-ville, Le village de Noël de Montréal and MONTRÉAL EN LUMIÈRE, to contribute to keeping downtown Montreal a dynamic, vital and safe destination to visit this winter,” said Éric Lefebvre, executive director of the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership.

A highlight of this special edition was undoubtedly the Moment cœur battant, created and produced by Martin Messier, Julie Basse and Olivier Girouard. Each evening, the façades and streets of the Quartier lit up with a dance of lights set to original music. The initiative was a message of solidarity with the cultural sector – a poignant reminder that the city is alive, and its creative heart is still beating. The Quartier des Spectacles Partnership extends sincere thanks to the partners who participated in the movement and made culture resonate throughout the city: L’Avenue du Mont-Royal; BAnQ | Grande Bibliothèque; Biosphère, Environment Museum; Centre du Théâtre d’Aujourd’hui; Cinémathèque québécoise; Complexe Desjardins; SDC Montréal centre-ville; Espace Libre; Ivanhoé Cambridge; Le 1000 De La Gauchetière; Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth; Place Ville Marie; Maison Manuvie; La Vitrine culturelle; Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal; McCord Museum; Stewart Museum; Monument-National; Place des Arts; Pointe-à-Callière, Montreal Museum of Archaeology and History; Société des arts technologiques [SAT]; Théâtre du Nouveau Monde; Théâtre ESPACE GO; Théâtre La Licorne; TOHU; Usine C; and XP_MTL.

ABOUT LUMINOTHÉRAPIE

Luminothérapie is Quebec’s largest competition for temporary public art installations. Each year, Luminothérapie presents an original, interactive and captivating winter experience in Montreal’s Quartier des Spectacles with a major installation in Place des Festivals. Luminothérapie seeks to spur creativity in the design of urban installations and digital art. Several cultural districts around the world have shown interest in its interactive art installations created for public spaces by local artists and creators. Since 2016, 12 works created for the Quartier des Spectacles have been exhibited on nearly 100 occasions in more than 50 cities in Canada and around the world.

To learn more about the competition, and for a list of previous years’ winners, see the Luminothérapie press kit. 

ABOUT THE QUARTIER DES SPECTACLES AND THE PARTNERSHIP

The Quartier des Spectacles is Montreal’s cultural heart, boasting North America’s most concentrated and diverse group of cultural venues. Year round, the district is home to countless festivals and events, and hosts innovative urban installations involving cutting-edge lighting design, immersive environments or interactive digital spaces. The Quartier des Spectacles is 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 85 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 benefits from the support of the Ville de Montréal.

More information: quartierdesspectacles.com

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MEDIA CONTACT
Mélanie Mingotaud
Communications Mingotwo
melanie@mingo2.ca
(514) 582-5272