POP! By Gentilhomme
The Downtown Austin Alliance Foundation brought POP! by Gentilhomme to Republic Square from March 8, 2024 to March 24, 2024.
The POP! creatures helped bring color, sound and joy to Downtown Austin before they headed to their next location. For even more free community-focused fun, POP! by Gentilhomme is featured on our 2024 Art & Parks Tour, so be sure to check out the other art, parks and artists featured along the route.
Credit for all photos: POP! by Gentilhomme, a production of Quartier des Spectacles Partnership in partnership with Jack World – 2023 © Ulysse Lemerise
About POP! by Gentilhomme
POP! brings you surprises, music and dance! POPO, POPUP, POPLI, POPETTE and POPOTIN are waiting for you to entice them to leave their mysterious luminous monoliths for an electrifying fiesta. There are five enigmatic monoliths where the POP! creatures live. Set them free by calling out to them, talking to them, or even by singing. As you encourage one to show itself, watch the monolith get brighter and brighter until it opens to release a creature who’s ready to put on a show. Get five people together to free the whole POP! gang at once, and you’ll get a very special surprise!
Learn More About POP!⟶“Our interactive installation is a celebration of light, music, motion and popular culture. We hope that POP! will be a catalyst for energizing groups that inspires people to talk and collaborate. It’s a bit like a big party where people of all ages get together to sing, dance, laugh and share a little human warmth as winter settles in.”
— Thibaut Duverneix and Mathieu Léger, Creative Directors, Gentilhomme
About the Artist
Gentilhomme of Montreal, Canada is a multidisciplinary creative studio specializing in the creation, direction and production of interactive films, experiences and installations that capture the imagination and captivate audiences. The multi-award-winning studio has created projects around the world, earning international recognition.
Learn More About Gentilhomme⟶About Quartier des Spectacles
The Quartier des Spectacles is Montreal’s cultural heart, boasting North America’s greatest concentration and variety of cultural venues. The district is the year-round host to countless festivals and events, many of which include free outdoor shows and activities. The Quartier hosts innovative urban installations featuring cutting-edge lighting design, immersive environments and interactive digital spaces. Year round, the Quartier presents artistic video projections on building façades. The Quartier des Spectacles is also a showcase for new multimedia technology, making Montreal a global leader in the urban exhibition of digital content. The Quartier des Spectacles Partnership, founded in 2003, is a non-profit organization with more than 80 members active in the district. It is responsible for animating the Quartier des Spectacles by programming cultural activities, managing and animating public spaces, providing distinctive illumination and promoting the Quartier as a must-visit cultural destination. The Partnership is supported by the Ville de Montréal.
Learn More About Quartier des Spectacles⟶About QDSinternational
QDSinternational is a non-profit organization that produces and distributes participatory installations for public spaces in collaboration with creative partners, co-producers and exhibitors around the world. An affiliate of the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership, QDSinternational has built extensive expertise over many years, thanks to the numerous works it has commissioned for North America’s largest cultural district, bringing inspiration to thousands of visitors. The organization’s expertise is reflected in its state-of-the-art processes for the design and production of robust, safe installations suitable for all ages and all climates. QDSinternational relies on a network of first-rate collaborators and technical service providers active in the international exhibition of public artworks and installations. These partners allow us to produce large-scale projects and offer turnkey options adapted to the needs and realities of each site.
Learn More About QDSinternational⟶Thank you to the full creative team that was instrumental in POP! by Gentilhomme’s design, creation, fabrication and travel to Republic Square:
Creation: Gentilhomme
Design and Production: Thibaut Duverneix and Mathieu Léger
Mechanical Design: Stéphane Beaulac
Sound Design and Original Music: David Drury
Interactive Design: Marouane Sahbi
Creative Supervision: Guillaume Cardell
Art Direction: Renée Lamothe and Mathieu Léger
Production: Marie-Lou Bouchard, Frédérique St-Pierre and Sophie Bisson
Project Management: Lucie Brillouet
Fabrication: Jack World
Inflatable Production: Carlos Navarrete-Patiño
Creative Code: Étienne Garon-Vincent and François de L’Isle
3D Animation: Jérôme Routhier Technical Direction: Sébastien Boulanger
Production: Quartier des Spectacles Partnership in partnership with Jack World
Distribution: Quartier des Spectacles International
Executive Production, Touring: Jack World
Writing on the Walls
Bringing POP! by Gentilhomme to Republic Square is a project of the Downtown Austin Alliance’s Writing on the Walls program. Click here to learn more about the program or to donate.