Created in the summer of 2023, this massive mural, covering nearly 21,000 square feet (300 feet high by 64 feet wide), is located in the heart of the city. The mural is an original work by Françoise Sullivan, personally selected by her and reproduced by MU’s artistic team.
At nightfall, MU invites curious passersby of all ages to experience a luminous and colorful spectacle during Nuit Blanche. Funded through a partnership between the Government of Québec, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Tourisme Montréal, and the City of Montréal, the illumination of the Damiers 2023 mural integrates both permanent lighting and video projection into a single installation.
This innovative activation will provide viewers with the vibrant yet continuous sensation of a colorful fabric stretching across the city—draping it in a luminous sheath at night, which can give way to animated works reflecting Françoise Sullivan’s multidisciplinary practice. A key figure in the arts and a signatory of Refus global, Sullivan has worked in visual arts, dance, and scenography, always embracing experimentation.
The video projection proposed through this project is a remarkable tribute, showcasing a mural inspired by one of the centenarian artist’s visual works—a reinterpretation of her Damiers series. Through motion artist Sébastien Samyn, MU highlights both the mural and Sullivan’s career as a painter, celebrating her lasting contribution to the world of contemporary art.
At nightfall, the organization MU invites passersby of all ages to enjoy a luminous and colorful spectacle during the Nuit blanche (White Night). Funded by a partnership between the Quebec government, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Tourisme Montréal, and the City of Montréal, the lighting of the mural *Damiers 2023* integrates illumination and video projection into a single permanent installation project.
This innovative activation will provide people with a vibrant yet continuous sensation of a colorful fabric weaving through the city, dressing it in a luminous cover at night, transitioning into animated works that reflect the multidisciplinary practice of Françoise Sullivan. A key figure in the arts and a signatory of the *Refus global*, the artist has worked in visual arts while also revolutionizing the world of contemporary dance with her work *Danse dans la neige* (Dance in the Snow, 1948).
The video projection proposed as part of this project serves as a magnificent way to honor, through the mural representing one of the visual works of the centenarian artist (a reinterpretation of her *Damiers* collection). MU highlights the mural and Sullivan's career as a painter through motion artist Sébastien Samyn and the animation of *Danse dans la neige* by Elizabeth Laferrière, emphasizing her contribution to the world of contemporary dance.
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Photo credit: Kenan Alboshi
