“Vancouver’s premier celebration of light, art, and community has returned for another winter season”. From November 7th to 10th, 2024 the popular and free annual festival will bring back their immersive experiences with new exhibitions, dazzling light installations, and live performances.
On its 11th year the Lumière Festival Will Showcase A Variety Of Artists And Their Works From Switzerland, Finland, And Spain. Their Interactive, Light-Based Pieces Will Be Displayed In More Than 11 Locations Across Downtown Vancouver, The West End, Yaletown, And Gastown Neighbourhoods.
The following has been taken from the press release and the Lumière Website. Recapping the various installations and their artists.
The festival opened on Thursday, November 7, at šxʷƛ̓ ənəq Xwtl’e7énḵ Square (Vancouver Art Gallery North Plaza). The opening ceremony featured performances by Ember Arts, Elektric Collective, and other exciting talents.
We spotted Alma Bitches and Friends at the opening ceremonies, attending in their Elemental drag fashions.
“Elektric Collective is a dynamic Vancouver-based performance group specializing in flow and circus acts enhanced with high-end LED props and aerial apparatuses. Their team brings together a wide range of talents, using custom-made, futuristic costumes that push the boundaries of light technology. In their performance Soul Star, an otherworldly vehicle of ascension, known as a Merkaba, sends luminous signals across dimensions, symbolizing the power of unity and healing. The piece captivates audiences with its celestial energy and interactive light display.”
Across the 4 days guests are invited to visit any and all of the featured festival locations, as listed below. Tonight we would catch a handful on our guided bus tour. I will only be recapping the ones I witnessed.
- Harbour Green Park (1199 W Cordova Street)
- Vancouver Art Gallery (On šxʷƛ̓ ənəq Xwtl’e7énḵ Square: North Plaza & South Plaza)
“Inspired by Optical Art illusions of the 1960s, Kinetic Perspective by Juan Fuentes creates an immersive geometric experience. The artwork features sixteen spinning illusions, each made up of two circles that create a vanishing point at the viewer’s eye level. Visitors are encouraged to interact with the piece by moving around to reveal hidden geometries and patterns. Juan Fuentes, a multidisciplinary artist, merges his background in architecture, lighting, and digital manufacturing to explore perception and geometry in his work. He has exhibited worldwide and received accolades such as
the 40 under 40 lighting designer award.”
- Lot 19 (855 West Hastings Street)
“The Portal immerses visitors in the four elements—earth, water, air, and fire—through vivid projections and real-time interactive elements. Using a combination of motion capture and a tactile control board, participants can manipulate the dynamic visuals. Alejandro Samper, founder of Soluna Productions, merges mechanical engineering with visual storytelling to create engaging, sensory-rich installations. His work emphasizes sustainability by repurposing materials from past projects, and he aims to foster a deeper appreciation of nature through the intersection of technology and art.”
- Gastown Gateway (356 Water Street)
- Maple Tree Square
- Helmcken Plaza (338 Helmcken Street)
“Urban Bloom presents a whimsical naturescape filled with giant glowing flowers, each representing a different species and its story. The installation invites viewers to bask in the colorful light while learning about local endangered wildflowers and their vital pollinators. Melanie Lazelle is an experience creator and project manager dedicated to merging education, creativity, and environmental awareness through her art. As the founder of The Wilder, she designs engaging experiences and installations that connect people to their surroundings.”
“PIN’D is an interactive pinboard and DJ booth that transforms tactile actions into vibrant visuals. As participants press the pins, stunning images emerge through projection mapping, representing the elements-Fire, Water, Air, and Earth-while responding to the music. Alejandro Samper specializes in large-scale immersive installations, merging mechanical engineering with visual storytelling. As the founder of Soluna Productions, he creates sensory-rich experiences that invite audience participation and explore the connection between technology, art, and nature.”
- Bill Curtis Square (1198 Mainland Street)
- Jim Deva Plaza (1200 Bute Street)
“John Mutter is an interactive media artist who seamlessly blends dance and technology in his installation “Just tor (Just Dance).” This interactive piece encourages audience participation by allowing movements to control 3D models within audio-reactive environments. Evolving from its successful premiere, “Just Dance 2.0” takes on the theme of water and reflection, promising an enhanced experience that fosters emotional expression and community engagement.”
“James Sartor, a member of Foxlight Labs, showcases “Lamina, a captivating collection of larger-than-ife glowing leaves. Each leaf emits light from its veins, symbolizing necessary change and the beauty of transformation. This piece invites viewers to reflect on the contrast between traditional plant functions and the illuminating qualities
of these artistic representations.”
“Will Donaldson is a multi-disciplinary artist exploring the intersection of technology and nature. His installation, “Luminous Hive” features 91 frosted white hemispherical domes arranged in a hexagonal pattern reminiscent of a beehive. The domes respond to audience movements, creating a dynamic interplay of light and movement that enchants and engages viewers.”
“Madeleine Chaffee, a multi-disciplinary designer, presents the “Puffy Portal,” an inflatable archway crafted from upcycled textiles. This playful installation features a smooth surface of diffused light and invites exploration and interaction. Visitors can enjoy its vibrant lighting animations at night, creating a mesmerizing and welcoming atmosphere.”
- 1800 Davie Plaza (1800 Davie Street)
“Juan Fuentes Studio presents an installation inspired by the dynamic beauty of waves. This abstract representation captures the essence of constant movement and variation
in shape through subtle lines that evoke the sensation of flowing water. The artwork invites viewers to gradually discover the interplay of curved forms, reflecting on the harmonious dynamics of the ocean.”
- West End Community Centre
- Robson Street (1087-1091 Robson Street)
- Manulife Tower (980 Howe Street)
- Bentall Centre (505 Burrard Street)
“Tangible Interaction is a Vancouver art and design studio that creates immersive experiences aimed at fostering connections between people and their surroundings. Their focus is on reawakening a sense of wonder through playful and innovative designs. Parasol consists of towering, nine-foot-tall mushroom-like sculptures with light-filled fins that mimic the structure of a mushroom’s underbelly. The piece invites viewers to pause, engage, and marvel at the natural world reimagined through a modern, interactive lens.”
A new location this year is Coal Harbour. Featuring the art installation Borealis, an immersive light and sound art piece by Swiss artist Dan Acher.
“Borealis is both a work of art and a technological performance. Beams of light travel through particle clouds to create the illusion and while we can harness the technology, the outcome is beyond our control. Variations in wind, humidity and temperature make Borealis an ever-changing installation – it’s always unique. The installation is an immersive light and sound experience with a custom score by French composer Guillaume Desbois. It has mesmerized audiences in over 40 cities across Europe, Australia, Asia and the US. Dan Acher is the founder of Happy City Lab and an Ashoka Fellow based in Geneva, Switzerland. Dan uses cities as playgrounds in which citizens of all backgrounds can connect and engage with the key issues of our time, both individually and collectively. His large-scale installations are designed to evoke awe and communal introspection.”
“Translucens is a holographic projection on a curtain of water accompanied by a stereo sound design. Finnish artist Niko Tiainen draws inspiration from the Latin word translucens (meaning translucent) to create a piece that explores the intersection of light and biological forms. Through a blend of visuals, he applies the Kuleshov effect, allowing the audience to construct the narrative in their minds. This technique creates a story that resembles the cinematic and colourful structures of REM dreams.”
Niko Tiainen is a Finnish artist who specializes in outdoor mapping and video projections as well as light and sound installations. He is trained in classical music, composition and design. His installations are based on conceptual ideas and abstract material processes that combine the structure and techniques of classical music.”
For more information, please visit https://www.lumiereyvr.com.
