Vimy

On behalf of the "La Bande à Paul" studio, we created two immersive installations for the exhibition "Vimy – Beyond the Battle." This exhibition aims to immerse museum visitors in the context of the Battle of Vimy and the commemoration of the soldiers who fell at the front. The War Tunnel The War Tunnel is an artistic and interactive light installation designed to evoke a sudden feeling of stress and discomfort in response to war and battle. This feeling is heightened by the constantly moving projection and the confined space that confines visitors. The space is designed as a long, narrow, and dark corridor. On one side of the tunnel, the projection depicts an ongoing battlefield. Cannons fire their shells, smoke rises from craters, and the silhouettes of soldiers patrol and charge like ghosts across the battlefield. Visitors participate in the installation passively. As they walk through the tunnel, a camera captures them and integrates their shapes onto the battlefield among the other soldier silhouettes. The result is both realistic and striking. The Commemoration Wall The second installation, The Commemoration Wall, is more symbolic. Each of the lamps on this wall represents one of the 3,598 Canadian soldiers killed at Vimy between April 9 and 12, 1917. The lamps light up and pulse, embodying the lives of these soldiers. They are triggered individually by the presence and movements of visitors. The wall becomes increasingly bright and active as visitors gather. Visitors feel a genuine connection to these soldiers, becoming deeply aware of the actual number of lives lost during this battle. By seeing how their presence affects the intensity of the wall, visitors can reflect on the role they play in the commemorative process.