The LOOP installation, designed by Olivier Girouard, Jonathan Villeneuve and Ottoblix, is an immersive experience that brings together art, technology and interaction. Inspired by the zoetrope, an optical toy from the 19th century, it consists of large circles that invite visitors to sit inside each one to activate a lever and make a cylinder turn. 

This movement brings animated images to life in a fascinating combination of light and sound that evokes the first films in the history of cinema. Visitors can move the lever at different rhythms to change the speed of animation, frequency of the glowing light and the tempo of the music. The facility, designed to be accessible and participatory, allows visitors to explore the power of visual and sound narratives. Loop captivates audiences of all ages with its retrofuturistic approach, transforming public spaces into magical realms.

Acknowledgements: Oficina de Québec a Barcelona

EKUMEN is a Montreal-based audio arts and multimedia production company led by Olivier Girouard. As an experience designer and producer, Girouard explores the environmental side of art and the relationship between a work and its audience, transforming urban spaces through his vision of collective coexistence. He’s known for his innovative concerts, installations and stage productions that combine sound, technology and space.

EKUMEN productions involve collaboration with several different professionals, including Jonathan Villeneuve, renowned for his public art installations that incorporate digital and electro-mechanic technology. These mobile works, a feast of light and sound, invite visitors to imagine ways to use each piece, subtly or explicitly revealing the underlying technological dimension. Other creative partners include multidisciplinary creative studios such as Ottoblix, which brings together animation, graphic design and visual effects to dream up unique experiences.