An interactive art exhibit playing with the concept of time!
The hourglass from another time
LAPS: a journey through time - here and now
LAPS is a modern take on the traditional hourglass that gives us the opportunity to
literally take control of time. From the top of their 7.8 feet (2.33 meters), the 6 giant
modules invite the public to change time by turning the steering wheel at their
desired pace, in one direction or the other, and to take another look at their
perception of time. Time catchers are rewarded with a sound and light experience
that inspires immediate wonder.
Take control for a full lap of LAPS; hold your breath, sing a song, clap your hands,
propose marriage, do whatever inspires you. Everyone gets to choose the time they
want to spend here; this passage of time is truly yours!
A little history
Commonly hourglasses measure the time it takes to boil eggs or to take turns
during board games. In the Middle Ages, the hourglass was used to limit the time
for sermons and university lectures. Did you know that in the navy, it was used on
board ships to measure their speed, time the length of watches, and even
sometimes to measure the full duration of a voyage?
The hourglass has traveled through time and over the centuries reinvented itself. LAPS
was born out of a reflection on the uncontrollable nature of the passing of time. In a
world where everything is going faster and faster, where people run desperately after
time, LAPS offers a different take on the individual and collective perception of time.
Here everyone gets to tame time to the same end: to be fully in the moment.
Credits
Creation and artistic direction: Olivier Landreville
Sound and light design: Serge Maheu
Design of interactive control systems: Serge Maheu
Structure and engineering: Maintenance Industries Meca-Fab inc.
Owner: Init
Tour production: Creos
Previously presented at: MONTRÉAL EN LUMIÈRE 2022 (Montréal, Canada) Downtown Des Moines 2022 (Des Moines, USA)
LAPS on Sparks Street between O'Connor and Bank runs June 22 - July 10, 2022 FREE to Experience!
