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NFB Commissions Interactive Works for ‘McLaren Wall-to-Wall’

Kid Koala, Theodore Ushev and Daily tous les jours set to dazzle viewers on the 100th anniversary of Norman McLaren’s birth.

Montreal -- Who better than Montreal creators Kid Koala, Theodore Ushev and Daily tous les jours to celebrate the originality, inventiveness and genius of the great Canadian filmmaker Norman McLaren? For McLaren Wall-to-Wall, the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) and the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership have commissioned artists and a design studio to create three interactive works that will revolutionize electronic music, animated film and urban design. From April 11 to June 1, 2014, these original works will be part of the attractions on display along a unique pathway through the city, serving as a memorable commemoration of the 100th anniversary of McLaren’s birth.

McLaren Wall-to-Wall will be part of the Quartier des Spectacles’ Luminous Pathway. The public will be able to view the works as video projections on the façades of buildings in downtown Montreal. In addition to the interactive creations by Kid Koala in collaboration with Hololabs, Theodore Ushev and Daily tous les jours, the pathway will include four films selected from the international call for projects launched by the NFB and the Quartier des Spectacles last December. There is still time for artists in all disciplines—film, digital art, music, architecture—to participate in the competition: the registration deadline is February 20, 2014. (Information at www.mclarenmuramur.com/en/.)

The acclaimed artists below will present an original interactive work inspired by one or several films by Norman McLaren.

Kid Koala in collaboration with Hololabs – Théâtre Maisonneuve façade, Place des Arts
Film: Dots (1940), directed by Norman McLaren
Born in Vancouver, Canada, Kid Koala is a world-renowned music producer, scratch DJ and author. He has released four albums on the Ninja Tune label and written two graphic novels. In addition to collaborating with Gorillaz and Deltron 3030, he has toured with such famous groups as Radiohead and the Beastie Boys, while continuing to garner fame through his parallel project, The Slew. He has composed soundtracks for several cartoons and films for the NFB, including Minotaur, a short film by Munro Ferguson slated for release in 2014. His trademark? Unforgettable, innovative shows featuring turntable bingo, puppets, dancers and more. Hololabs is an award-winning development studio based in Montreal, Canada. They specialize in digital media solutions at the intersection of technology, creativity, and play.

Theodore Ushev – Façade of the Grande Bibliothèque
Films:
Synchromy (1971), directed by Norman McLaren
Lines Vertical (1960), directed by Norman McLaren and Evelyn Lambart
Lines Horizontal (1962), directed by Norman McLaren and Evelyn Lambart
Born in Bulgaria, Theodore Ushev graduated from the National Academy of Fine Arts in Sofia. In 1999, he settled in Montreal, where he quickly acquired a reputation as a prolific and talented animator. He directed over a dozen shorts that have been screened around the world, and attracted attention with such films as The Man Who Waited and Tzaritza. He then began work on an acclaimed trilogy dealing with the link between art and power (Tower Bawher, Drux Flux, Gloria Victoria), while simultaneously making a number of award-winning short films focusing on creative artists and their relationship with the world (Lipsett Diaries, Nightingales in December, Joda). His fascination with new content-delivery platforms has led him to make films for the Internet and mobile phones as well as a video clip.

Daily tous les jours – Entrances to Saint-Laurent metro station
Film: Canon (1964), directed by Norman McLaren and Grant Munro
Recognized for the collective creative experiences it presents in public spaces, Daily tous les jours is a design studio whose primary focus is finding new ways to interact and tell stories. Ranging from small to large scale, its projects combine participation, design and technology and take many forms: objects, urban planning and installations, exhibitions, social interventions, events, software applications and films. It recently won the grand prize at the Interaction Design Awards and at the Shenzen Design Awards for 21 Balançoires. Its co-founders, Mouna Andraos and Melissa Mongiat, have garnered several awards in Europe and America for their creations. Daily tous les jours also created the new and unique public art installation Choreographies for Humans and Stars, specifically designed for the Rio Tinto Alcan Planetarium. The installation has been on display since last week.

Source: The National Film Board of Canada

Jennifer Wolfe's picture

Formerly Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network, Jennifer Wolfe has worked in the Media & Entertainment industry as a writer and PR professional since 2003.