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Head in the Cloud Exhibition. Musée de la civilisation calls on the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) to co-produce Airplane Mode, the zone created by Emilie F. Grenier and Simon C. Vaillancourt.

PRESS RELEASE
27/11/2019

Quebec City, November 27, 2019 — Greatly open and attentive to social and human evolution, the Musée de la civilisation presents Head in the Cloud, an exhibition that reveals how the digital revolution is changing multiple aspects of our lives while also redefining the very notions of privacy and work. To create one of the areas in the itinerary that visitors follow through this immersive exhibition, the Musée de la civilisation called on the National Film Board of Canada (NFB), known worldwide for its skill in exploring current events in creative and engaging ways. The result is Emilie F. Fournier and Simon C. Vaillancourt’s participatory installation, Airplane Mode. This is the very first co-production between the NFB and the Musée, despite several collaborative ventures in recent years. Head in the Cloud will be presented until January 31, 2021.

Arising out of the tension between form and content and from the various opinions on the use and effects of technology, Airplane Mode asks questions without taking a stance, thus leaving visitors to their own conclusions. In this experimental creation, Grenier explores the low tech movement, while co-creator Vaillancourt, a documentary and grassroots filmmaker, went off‑screen to explore this new creative space.

Enter the zone

The exhibition’s Airplane Mode area is a large, brightly coloured playground that is activated by heart-shaped glasses visitors wear, providing a unique emotional experience. The three itineraries—Me VS Me, Me VS Others and Me VS my Phone—invite visitors to wander and explore different facets. They will be led to take an introspective look at their use of digital devices and their relationship with them, without resorting to any technology. For example, playful activities allow them to measure their screen time, test their capacity for concentration, configure their devices, disconnect a few minutes and think about the impact all those “likes” have on their life. Visitors must even climb stairs and slide down the other side, like in the classic Chutes & Ladders game!

Quotes:

“Working with the National Film Board is always very rewarding for the Musée de la civilisation. This time, by co-producing this space, we have gone even further in pooling our expertise, and this has led to a most original creation that will effectively reach our target audience.”
-Marie-Christine Bédard, Project Manager, Musée de la civilisation

“For the past 10 years, the NFB’s Montreal Interactive Studio has drawn on the strength of collaboration to push creative boundaries. This co-production with the Musée de la civilisation, which has exceptional physical spaces to get off screens and take a look at social and cultural developments, is a prime example. Emilie F. Grenier and Simon C. Vaillancourt’s work offers a reflection on the changes digital technology brings, starting with individual concerns and spanning all the way to collective debate.”
Louis-Richard Tremblay, Executive Producer of the Montreal Interactive Studio

An exhibition designed and produced by the Musée de la civilisation, co-presented by CGI and Rogers with support from the Association québécoise des technologies and the participation of Fairmont Le Château Frontenac as official hotel.

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Related Link:

Airplane mode : mediaspace.nfb.ca/epk/airplane-mode/
(Electronic press kit)

Media Relations

  • About the NFB

    The National Film Board of Canada (NFB) is one of the world’s leading digital content hubs, creating groundbreaking interactive documentaries and animation, mobile content, installations and participatory experiences. NFB interactive productions and digital platforms have won over 100 awards, including 21 Webbys. To access this unique content, visit NFB.ca.