Lighting up the Gesù

As part of an ideas competition, the Quartier des spectacles Partnership, the Gesù and the City of Montreal’s Design Montréal agency invites designers and creators to submit lighting, architecture and scenographic propositions that will reveal the unique personality of the Gesù.

The competition is sponsored by Mr. André Lavallée, who handles urban planning and development and public transport for the City of Montreal Executive Committee. This ideas competition will consist of a single round of judging, is open to all and is part of the Lighting Plan for Montreal’s Quartier des spectacles. The competition will be a collective reflection on the challenges of expressing the identity of a remarkable heritage building through the enhancement of its façade. For fifteen years, this building has been a center for multidisciplinary cultural activities, including a program that supports the creation of contemporary art.

The Gesù was recognized as a cultural asset in 1975 and has since continued to extend its activities, which contribute to the development of Montreal’s culture. It is a place of art and history, of performances and conferences, of the exposition of contemporary art, of research and creation in dance and intercultural relations – all alongside its life as a religious site. The complexity of its program makes it an atypical creative center. This competition seeks to highlight the unique architectural character of the Gesù, as well as its particular mission to build bridges between the artistic, the human and the spiritual. The illumination of the building must reveal these specific aspects.

The jury is composed of Ruedi Baur (Intégral Ruedi Baur), Eric Gauthier (Les architectes FABG), Jacques Lachapelle (Université de Montréal), Alexandre Colombani (executive director of Lighting Urban Community International [LUCI]), Louis Brillant (architect), Ginette Noiseux (executive director of Espace Go) and Daniel LeBlond (Jesuit Provincial). The jury’s mandate is to evaluate the propositions submitted to the competition in keeping with the following criteria: 1) The originality of the lighting submission in relation to the mandate of a contemporary creative centre; 2) The submission’s innovative participation in the Quartier des spectacles Lighting Plan (developed by the Partnership); 3) The submission’s ability to enhance a major component of Montreal’s religious heritage.

The jury will judge all the submissions and award prizes to three entries: first prize ($10,000), second prize, ($5,000) and third prize ($3,000).

Members of the public will also be invited to play an important role in the comptetiton, by voting for their favorite proposal. All entries will be exhibited at the Gesù, from January 20 to late in the night of February 28, 2009, the day of the Montreal All-Nighter held as part of the 10th anniversary of the MONTREAL HIGH LIGHTS FESTIVAL. The winner of the public’s choice prize will be awarded $2,000.

The deadline for receiving submissions is Wednesday, January 14, 2009, at 5 PM. There is no charge for making a submission. Competition rules and documents are available at www.quartierdesspectacles.com/gesu. The competition winners will be announced in March 2009.

For more information:
Isabelle Le Clair
Professional Advisor
Design Montréal
514-872-5323
[email protected]

Photo : Martine Doyon