CELESTIA by kleis

Celestial Conversation: A Poetry of Light 

With your presence, unveil the luminous and sound-filled universe of the installation and encounter the characters embodied by the seven artistic structures. These Seven Sisters reveal their melodies, colours, and poetry, intertwining their connections in the space. Celestia celebrates literature, music, digital arts, and design in a collective experience led by poet Carolanne Foucher and Huron-Wendat storyteller Yolande Okia Picard. 

Initiated by the Canadian cities of Montreal, Quebec City, and Toronto, with the participation of London, this project is part of an effort to enhance their status as UNESCO Creative Cities. 

“We wanted to highlight sisterhood, which could be part of a collection, a network that builds bridges between UNESCO cities. […] The installation represents each of the Pleiades sisters individually. Each of the seven modules, representing the seven sisters, has an assigned colour, emotion, and characteristic. When participants stroll through our collection of urban furniture, they will be able to feel the different emotions.”

- Sandrine Thériault, PROJECT MANAGER, DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT 

The Huron-Wendat Legend

Storyteller Yolande Okia Picard states that legends always come to share values that help us better understand the meaning of life and grow emotionally, which she describes as “keys to opening the doors of the soul.” Every legend teaches us a value.

The Pleiades are very important to the Wendat. When they reach their zenith in the sky, it marks the beginning of the new year and the end of a cycle of thirteen moons. This moment usually occurs between mid-December and mid-February.

During this celebration, a new cycle begins. The ashes are turned. Forgiveness is given.

This period is an opportunity to give back what has been received, knowing that the Creator, life, and nature will return everything we need for the new cycle. It is also a time to share a feast, play the snake game on the snow, and enjoy activities like the bowl game, a game of chance, strategy, and sharing.

This legend invites us to embrace the value of sharing and reminds us of the importance of community life, often forgotten in modern times.

The co-production of Celestia is a wonderful opportunity for sharing between the UNESCO Creative Cities, as well as a chance to highlight Quebec and Wendat literature through two authors, one from the city of Quebec and the other from the Huron-Wendat Nation.

Learn more: wendake.ca | Documentary: Au coeur de Wendake (only in French)

Credits

Creation, design and executive production: Kleis inc. 
Fabrication: Atelier Papineau 
Technical and Interactive Programming: Charlie Golf Tango, Thierry Dumont 
Sound design: Jérôme Guilleaume 
Texts: Poems: Carolanne Foucher / Huron-Wendat Story: Yolande Okia Picard 
Narration: Alexia Gourd, Carolanne Foucher, Yolande Okia Picard 
Coproduction: Quartier des spectacles Partnership, ExpoCité and Sankofa Square, supported by the Cities Montréal, Québec, Toronto, London (Ontario) and the Canadian Commission for UNESCO 
Distribution: QDSinternational 
Executive Production, Touring: Jack World 

To learn more about the Celestia by Kleis project, visit the Quartier des Spectacles International website.

About the Artist

Kleis Inc. is a group of professionals from the entertainment, event management, and outdoor planning industries. 

The founding members have pooled their expertise to create a team and an agile structure that can successfully execute any type of project, from conception to operational implementation. 
🔗 kleis.ca | @kleisinc

About Quartier des Spectacles / Quartier Spectacles Partnership

The Quartier des Spectacles is Montreal’s cultural heart, boasting North America’s greatest concentration and variety of cultural venues. The district is the year-round host to countless festivals and events, many of which include free outdoor shows and activities. The Quartier hosts innovative urban installations featuring cutting-edge lighting design, immersive environments and interactive digital spaces. Year round, the Quartier presents artistic video projections on building façades. The Quartier des Spectacles is also a showcase for new multimedia technology, making Montreal a global leader in the urban exhibition of digital content. 

The Quartier des Spectacles Partnership, founded in 2003, is a non-profit organization with more than 80 members active in the district. It is responsible for animating the Quartier des Spectacles by programming cultural activities, managing and animating public spaces, providing distinctive illumination and promoting the Quartier as a must-visit cultural destination. The Partnership is supported by the Ville de Montréal.  More info.

Celestia by Kleis is a co-production with Quartier des spectacles Partnership, ExpoCité and Sankofa Square, supported by the City of Montréal, the City of Québec, the City of Toronto, the City of London (Ontario) and the Canadian Commission for UNESCO. Distribution by Quartier des spectacles international (QDSi).