SOUND ART INSTALLATIONS IN PUBLIC SPACES
MAY 15 TO 21
DOWNTOWN VICTORIAVILLE
FREE ADMISSION - 10 AM TO 8 PM
Guided tour for schools, OBNL or companies:
With the help of
A major collaboration
A collaboration
THE DESIRE LINE
A term used mainly in urban planning. It refers to that phenomenon where a path is gradually traced by erosion following the repeated passage of walkers, bikers, animals, etc. Desire lines are basically shortcuts where official paths take an indirect route, it is the user’s logical route, the natural route.
Over the years, we have established an itinerary of works that tries to be as instinctive as possible for visitors and users. In a way, we are suggesting a desire line in order to make the stroll pleasant and favourable to discovery, reflection, observation, analysis, and wonder. Thus, our itinerary of sound installations is not imposed to users, but suggested, and as naturally integrated into daily life as possible for the course of our annual event.
From the three works presented at the first iteration of FIMAV’s Sound Installations in Public Spaces back in 2010, we now reach ten “venues”, eight of which are located outdoors. The majority of the works are World Premieres, as has been the tradition for several years. The new tenth installation has been grafted to the itinerary as naturally as possible: no detour necessary, the work blends in the logical urban fabric of this desire line.
Once again, no theme (other than the exploration of sound) was proposed to the artists. And yet, once again, it is striking how a general portrait arises, where topics oddly share some issues and strategies. On the technical side, there is the integration of images (fixed or moving), working with light, kinetics, and the DIY culture. Conceptually, nature (its fragility, function, state, observation) remains a source of inspiration, just like a certain vision of life in society.
Our Festival has been drawing its own desire line since the 80s by striving never to follow the path traced by stakeholders that promoted an imposed normality: long live the independence of spirit and the desire to beat your own path!!!
Érick d’Orion, sound art installations curator
MANON LABRECQUE « toro (version 2023) »
QUEBEC
This is a kinetic sound installation. A bona fide clockwork where the mechanism unfolds to perform a nuanced light show and activate sounds related to the action. The artist gives access to the poetry of movement by revealing the inner workings of the installation, its mechanics and engineering, making the experience even more fascinating.
On the Web
Manon Labrecque
ERIC QUACH & JIM DEMOS « Les cabines télésymphoniques »
QUEBEC, CANADA
WORLD PREMIERE
Two interactive telephone booths that allow both an exchange between the user and their device, and with the second user at the other end of the receiver. Using two touchtone telephones, visitors generate tones from a sound bank created by the duo to put together new, spontaneous, real-time compositions.
On the Web
Éric Quach
LUDOVIC BONEY « Afin d'éviter tous ces nœuds (Victoriaville, 2023) »
QUEBEC
WORLD PREMIERE
A collaboration
In this immersive installation, visitors are asked to walk a path made up of planks and thin metal rods. Crossing this path is of experiential interest, but so is observing this sculptural installation from the outside. The movements of the rods, the visitor’s body appearing in the middle of the metallic forest, head hidden by the plastic spikes, offer an unusual sight. Also, wandering makes the boards creak, and those sounds are amplified to mingle with the sounds from the plastic pieces and the metal rods
On the Web
Ludovic Boney
SIMONE D'AMBROSIO / NÉLANNE RACINE « Éons »
ITALY, QUEBEC
As soon as you start moving your fingers on the device, a soundtrack unfolds through loudspeakers integrated into its base. This soundtrack consists of nature sounds recorded in the Saguenay region, pre-recorded sounds and synthesized sounds. Visitors activate the sonic aspect of the sculpture by interacting with its surface. An array of sensors integrated into the sculptures makes it possible to capture precise data on the interactions of the public in order to generate an evolving soundtrack.
On the Web
Nélanne Racine
Simone D'Ambrosio
STEPHANIE CASTONGUAY « Résonances induites (Victoriaville, 2023) »
QUEBEC
WORLD PREMIERE
This work is exploring cymatics by visualizing the vibrations of sound waves through water. Filtered naturally by the resonant body, effects of sub-melodies, irregularities, tonalities and other hidden harmonies appear through the material. Visible amplification transforms our relationship to the sound world by creating a transitional zone between sonic materiality and propagation space.
On the Web
Stéphanie Castonguay
ALEXIS BELLAVANCE « Stéréostrobe »
QUEBEC
WORLD PREMIERE
Two closed containers. In the middle of the front wall, a window acting like a screen. Inside the container is a colour light that turns on and off intermittently. The two containers have different coloured lights, and these are responding to each other. A smoke machine is turned on intermittently in the closed space to produce effects with the lights. And the lights generate low frequencies that are subtly amplified.
On the Web
Alexis Bellavance
MANON LABRECQUE « des oscillations »
QUEBEC
WORLD PREMIERE
A collaboration
With this kinetic sound installation, the artist invites us to a quasi-Dadaist theatre that can evoke Marcel Duchamp’s concept of the ready-made… with a caveat, though, as here the artist’s intervention in the sculpture is total. Nothing is left to chance with this accumulation of ping pong balls, springs, metal rods, etc. This mechanical creature activates, moves and jiggles while producing a symphony of vibrations, squeaks and rebounds.
On the Web
Manon Labrecque
ARIANE PLANTE « La cosmogonie des sons : variations nocturnes »
QUEBEC
WORLD PREMIERE
This installation consists of a round projection and 12 loudspeakers. It plays a random audiovisual score that takes us deep into the density of a forest at night. The material comes from one hundred digitized cyanotypes and dozens of sound samples coming from various fragile ecosystems across Quebec.
On the Web
Ariane Plante
LÉA BOUDREAU « we are individuals, we are not special »
QUEBEC
WORLD PREMIERE
An electronic ecosystem composed of four species of interdependent insects/circuits. As they coexist, they each have reactive peculiarities to sound, light and movement. Structures emerge from their interactions and patterns are created as they listen to and tune into each other
On the Web
Léa Boudreau
BÉCHARD HUDON « Invariables variations »
QUEBEC
WORLD PREMIERE
A collaboration
This installation consists of a haptic sound sculpture and a video. Visitors enter a space filled with the sound of the deep and resonant “voices” of the ground and the sea coming from various protected environments of the Magdalen Islands, where the artists made their recordings. A polyphonic composition is gradually transforming the entire sculpture on which people can sit in order to live a listening experience where the vibrations are felt directly by the body, summoning both something visceral and something universal.
On the Web
Béchard Hudon
