AURA at the Basilique Notre-Dame de Montréal

Earlier this year, multimedia stuido Moment Factory unveiled their newest creation using mind-boggling projection mapping to highlight the interior Gothic architecture and art of the Notre-Dame Basilica in old Montreal. Trees full of lush green or ripe with orange autumn leaves seem to loom over the arches of the soaring basilica, snow and lightning swirl above, and scintillating specks and lines of light limn columns, statues, and figures in paintings. This 45 minute show called AURA took a year to plan and create, another 90 days to install, and utilizes 21 projectors, 140 lights, and 20 mirrors. The accompanying original soundtrack composed by Marc Bell and Gabriel Thibaudeau required 30 musicians, 20 chorists and the basilica’s organ.

The Moment Factory website's official page states the mission:

"The Fabrique de la paroisse Notre-Dame de Montréal asked Moment Factory to create a permanent experience with sound, light and video that would invite visitors to discover the Notre-Dame Basilica in old Montreal in a whole new way.

Our challenge was to create a show that is universal, that captivates, touches, and inspires visitors from any background. Moreover, a show that highlights the Baslica’s many artworks and architecture, all while respecting the religious heritage and activity of the church. The canvas was also a challenge from a technical point of view, being the first example of such complex colour, texture, and scale, resulting in a video-mapping process done pixel by pixel.

AURA begins as a self-led tour to explore the basilica, discovering multimedia installations that showcase various of the basilica’s cherished artworks. This first part of the experience encourages visitors to explore the basilica’s details at their own pace and to become enveloped in
its universe.

Then light, original orchestral scores, and grandiose architecture unite to create a multimedia show whose captivating energy takes visitors from floor to ceiling,
and beyond."

This is for ma chère amie Odette who saw such psychedelic light shows in her own tiny chapel while growing up in France as an imaginative little girl in tune with mystical forces.

http://aurabasiliquemontreal.com/
https://momentfactory.com/work/all/all/aura