November 3, 2018 (MONTREAL) – Tonight, as part of the International Day of Action for the Boreal Forest, Greenpeace presented a major artistic projection on the facade of the Centre d’histoire de Montréal, located in Old Montreal. The artwork was not only a virtual immersion in the heart of the Canadian Boreal forest, it also offered a simulation experience allowing people to interact directly with the Northern Lights projected on the wall. The event, open to the public, was accompanied by a musical performance by the Montreal artist Aliocha, nominated at the ADISQ (Quebec Association for the Recording, Concert and Video Industries) in the categories “best English-language album” and “Quebec artist of the year with the most success outside of Quebec”.
“I think there is a real urgency,” says Aliocha, who has partnered with Greenpeace for the project. The Boreal forest is declining at a blistering speed, the equivalent of 1,200 football fields are destroyed every day. It is also home to more than 20,000 species. We need to take action now because this forest is our home, we are the Boreal forest. “
This interactive projection was created by HUB Studio, a local multimedia company that presents itself as “at the crossroads of the arts, design and technology”. The Quebec actress Charlotte Aubin, well known for her roles in Blue Moon, Those Who Make Revolution Halfway Only Dig Their Own Graves and the actor Marc-André Grondin (CRAZY, Goon, The First Day of the Rest of your Life) both narrated the film of the projection.
“Around the world, we are witnessing our wildlife being wiped out by humanity’s over-exploitation of our planet,” explains Philippa Duchastel de Montrouge, Forest campaigner with Greenpeace Canada. “In our own country, entire herds of caribou are nearing extinction yet we still have the opportunity to take action to protect our species at-risk. It would be terrible if we only remembered woodland caribou from our history books. We must do everything to avoid having to tell our grandchildren that we had the chance to act, but did nothing. “
A recent study, the results of which were discussed this week at a caribou conference held in Ottawa, shows that the woodland caribou population, a barometer of Boreal forest health, is declining. The federal environment commissioner concluded this year that the Department of Environment and Climate Change Canada has not “provided adequate leadership and effective coordination of the measures needed to achieve Canada’s international goals for biodiversity. ” In her report, the Commissioner specifically cites the woodland caribou as a species that has suffered “many delays” in implementing protections under the Species at Risk Act.
Photo and video link of the artwork:
https://media.greenpeace.org/collection/27MDHUHDCXE
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For questions, interviews or photos, please contact:
Marie Moucarry, Communications Officer, Greenpeace Canada, +1 438-993-6127, [email protected]
Marie-Christine Fiset, Head of media, +1 514-972-6316, [email protected]
After 5 years of delaying, provinces and territories have failed to follow through with measures to protect the boreal woodland caribou. Herds have been declining across the country at an alarming rate and may soon become extinct in some areas. Meanwhile, our federal government is not providing the leadership required to halt this crisis in the forest.