Lumière is an annual art event that's been going on since 2016, although this is the first year I…read morehad heard of it. It consists of several interactive light up art installations, as well as various performances, and it's all absolutely free!
This year Lumière runs from November 1 to 3, from 5pm to 10pm at four different locations -- šxnq Xwtl'e7én Square behind the Vancouver Art Gallery, the Jim Deva Plaza on Davie Street, Morton Park at English Bay, and Lot 19 on Hornby Street (near the Salvador Dali Space Venus sculpture). There is also a free shuttle to take people between the locations which depart approximately every 15 minutes.
I went with Nancy H. last night, and had a great (and inexpensive!) time. We took advantage of the free shuttle, which were trolleys from the Vancouver Trolley Company, and it took us just under two hours to make the rounds. We started off at the art gallery, where we saw the following installations:
-Steely T: a large light-up, flame spewing turtle that people could enter or climb up top
-Daisy: a large solar powered tricycle (unfortunately we didn't see it in action)
-Alternity: a branching sculpture that lit up in different patterns when people interacted with it (it was one of my favourite pieces, probably because it reminded me of an organic molecule)
-Sandscapes: sand, which people could sculpt, with different colored lights shining on to it in different patterns, evoking images of alien lands
-Segmentium: a large orb with a diameter of 7 feet and 24 segments that lit up
-Orchidelirium: giant orchids
In additions to the above art pieces, at šxnq Xwtl'e7én Square, there was also a small exhibit, Neon at the Post, about neon signs in Vancouver. I immediately recognize the large, neon R from the Ridge movie theater.
The next stop was at Jim Deva Plaza where we saw:
-Tetra Velo: a large pyramid that people could walk through
-Chromatic Shadows: a screen on which people's shadows were projected
-Visitor: a blob-shaped structure that lit up in different colors and patterns, depending on how people interacted and controlled it
-Woven: large, inflatable, illuminated arches that people could pass through on to their way to the beer garden (which also provided free water)
Our third stop was English Bay. When we arrived, there was a fire show happening, although it was difficult to see, with the large crowd. The exhibits were:
-Brood: an interesting metal spider, whose body served as a heat lamp
-Stanley: a Great Blue Heron made up of 10,320 lights
-Davie: a 24 foot tall grizzly bear
-Luna: an orca made of over 6000 lights
-Eugenia: a tree with lights that change color (my favourite exhibit at Lumière). It's not an exhibit of just any tree, but the oak tree that was atop of the Eugenia Place condo on Beach Avenue, that was installed in 1987 and died in 2017.
*Note: Stanley, Luna, and Eugenia will remain on display until February 2020.
The fourth, and last stop, was at Lot 19. There, we saw:
-Telefunkin' Shadow Stage: another exhibit that involves displaying people's silhouettes on a screen
-The Beating Heart: a nine-foot-high fiberglass human heart sculpture that was originally displayed at Burning Man. It beats to the rhythm of a person who places their hand on a sensor. (Note: the sensor is clearly not designed for people who don't have large man hands!)
-Key to My Heart: two giant antique keys and a lock that also has a sensor to detect people's heartbeat.
-Lux Memoriae: cool, geometric lanterns
-Chrysafly: a large butterfly, although it was still being assembled when we were there.
It was a fun night, and if you have a chance to check it out today or tomorrow, go! Lumière will be on my calendar next year.
[Yelp collections: Public Art; Cheap Thrills; Being a tourist in my own city]