CF Chinook Centre in Calgary has unveiled a new tenant with an innovative sensory exploration experience, taking viewers into a world that blurs the boundaries between reality and imagination.
Moment Factory, a Montreal-based international multimedia entertainment studio, powered by Fever, has opened its newest indoor experience, Mirror Mirror, which combines scenography, light, words, original music and interactivity to create a surreal and sensory playground of immersive art that reconnects us to our imagination.
Across nine immersive art installations inspired by memory, imagination, dreams and consciousness, visitors are invited to create their own unique journey. The experience begins by selecting one of three doors, and from there, visitors may explore at their own pace.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with Moment Factory to deliver this one-of-a-kind, multimedia experience to guests of CF Chinook Centre,” said Darren Milne, General Manager, CF Chinook Centre. “We’re committed to delivering programs that inspire and entertain guests every time they visit our shopping centre and we’re excited for visitors to experience the magic of Mirror Mirror’s immersive installations.”
Milne said Mirror Mirror is a temporary experience and people are encouraged to buy their tickets early. Cadillac Fairview will continue to evaluate the end date as the experience progresses in some of the former Nordstrom space.
Installations include Memory Storage, where sharing memories via a mobile device activates a unique choreography of light. A piece of that memory then comes to life in Intelligent Window, an art installation activated by artificial intelligence.
In Forest of Echoes, a labyrinth of mirrors invites guests to confront their sense of self and get lost in a maze of multiplied reflections. With River of Now and Mirrors of Tomorrow, two interactive installations, visitors will either jump across rock-like platforms to conjure color and music or take part in a playful tarot session to discover their destiny.
“At Moment Factory, through our various projects, we aim to inspire a sense of collective wonder and connection. We are thrilled to present Mirror Mirror, an original creation from our studio, to Calgary at the CF Chinook Centre. Through multimedia and interactivity, we are happy to offer Calgarians and tourists a new way to connect with each other and art.” said Jonathan St-Onge, Executive director– Signature Experiences, Moment Factory.
At the grand opening of the concept on Friday, Jyoti Gondek, Mayor of Calgary, said the city is being recognized across Canada and globally “increasingly as being a hub for artists.”
“This in no small way is what attracts people to visit here, to relocate their businesses here and to make their home here,” she said. “I’m grateful that Moment Factory chose to set up Mirror Mirror in our city which will no doubt amplify Calgary’s position on the creative economy map.”
She said in a Calgary citizen engagement survey last year 82 per cent of people “believe that a strong arts and culture scene is a really big part of creating a vibrant, safe and prosperous city.”
“The arts matter and installations like this matter equally because they spotlight how creative of a city we are and how much we take the art to heart,” added Gondek.
Andrea Nickel, Senior Director of Experience and Engagement at Cadillac Fairview, said building iconic destinations and unique and entertaining experiences is at the heart of what the company does.
“We are constantly evolving our programming to give guests more and more reasons to visit our shopping centres across Canada. With Moment Factory being a leader in the production of immersive experiences we are thrilled to partner with them to bring a special experience to CF Chinook Centre,” said Nickel. “Mirror Mirror combines light, words, original music and interactivity to create a sensory playground of immersive art that reconnects us to our imagination.
“It is a true reflection of how CF continues to offer memorable experiences that bring Canadians together and deliver entertainment every single time they visit.”
Marie Belzil, Creative Director at Moment Factory, said the company is thrilled to open the third edition of Mirror Mirror after successful runs in Montreal and Australia.
“All of our experiences are actually very different from each other but they have one thing in common is that we always try, what we do, is about bringing people together and creating connections in the real world,” she said.
“Our motto is we do it in public so our goal is just to activate collective wonder . . . Mirror Mirror is a journey into a beautiful, colourful world. It’s a little escape from reality.
“It’s also a project that seeks to activate your sense of wonder and exploration. We are hoping that way that we will perhaps wake up the kids that is hidden in all of us.”
Moment Factory is a multimedia studio with a full range of production expertise under one roof. Its team combines specializations in video, lighting, architecture, sound and special effects to create remarkable experiences. Headquartered in Montreal, the studio also has other addresses in Tokyo, Paris, New York City and Singapore. Since its inception in 2001, Moment Factory has created more than 525 unique projects worldwide, including the Lumina Night Walk series. Productions span the globe and include such clients as Changi Airport, Notre-Dame Basilica of Montreal, Disney, Arcade Fire, Microsoft, Sony, Boston Museum of Science, Madonna, Cipriani, Universal Studios, the Toronto Zoo and the Reims Cathedral.
