From plaque at installation:
Centuries old and shaped by time and the elements, these monuments of ice make distinctive sounds. As water gets inside their cracks and crevasses, they resonate like giant pipe organs, the tones modulating and evolving as the iceberg slowly melt.
Inspired by this monumental natural musical instrument, Iceberg consists of a series of illuminated metallic arches that each produce a particular sound. Arranged as a tunnel, the arches beckon visitors to enter, listen to and play this giant organ, whose notes and light travel from end to end of the musical corridor.
In its “natural” state, Iceberg calls to mind the pristine Far North in its sound and lighting. But when visitors are present, the installation changes and grows warmer. Human activity “warms up” these ice monuments and transforms their original nature into a visual and auditory symphony.
Iceberg was first presented in the Quartier des Spectacles, Montreal’s downtown cultural district, as part of Luminothérapie, an annual winter event.
Wayfinding plaque at installation:
This playful immersive work tells the story of an Iceberg, from its calving into the Arctic waters to its final melting near a southern shore. In their natural state, the crevasses within the Iceberg resonate like gigantic organ pipes whose tonalities change as they gradually melt. Inspired by this monumental natural instrument, Iceberg consists of a series of illuminated metallic arches that each produce a particular sound. Arranged as a tunnel, the arches beckon visitors to enter, listen to and play the giant organ, whose notes and light travel the musical corridor from end to end. Human activity “warms up” the ice monuments and transforms their original nature into a visual and auditory symphony.