POP!

A colourful light installation features a row of illuminated gift boxes in a city square at night, each with a glowing object emerging from the top. Historic buildings and shopfronts are lit in the background, while vibrant green, orange, pink and red lights reflect across the pavement.

About POP!

POP! by Gentilhomme is an interactive installation made up of five monoliths hiding playful inflatable puppets : POPO, POPUP, POPLU, POPETTE and POPOTIN. To wake them up and release them, participants must talk to them, clap or even sing, to persuade them to come alive. As the characters emerge, sound, light, and movement transform the space into a vibrant, musical, and luminous celebration.

In order to make all the characters come out at the same time, the audience must collaborate, coordinating their energy and presence as a group. Time for this party to POP!

In the context of this year’s River of Light theme, “Together,” POP! becomes a metaphor for collective joy and connection. It transforms individual actions into a shared performance, inviting people to laugh, interact, and celebrate in unison. The installation ultimately shows how creativity and happiness grow stronger when experienced together.

Easy Read Description

POP! has five colourful characters hiding inside tall towers. Clap, talk or sing to help them pop out. When everyone joins in together, all the characters appear, filling the space with lights, music and movement. It shows how much fun people can have by working together.

Location

Williamson Square

What Three Words: ///among.admit.sake

Sustainability Information

POP! was designed as a durable and reusable public artwork, created to travel and be experienced by audiences in different cities and contexts. Its modular design allows the installation to be maintained, repaired and redeployed over time, extending its lifespan and reducing the need for replacement. By bringing the same artwork to new communities year after year, POP! maximises its cultural impact while supporting a more sustainable approach to touring public art.

About Gentilhomme

Gentilhomme is a multidisciplinary creative studio specialising in the creation, direction and production of interactive films, experiences and installations that capture the imagination and captivate audiences. The multi-award-winning studio has created projects around the world, earning international recognition.

Presented by QDS International

QDS international (QDSi) is the international distribution branch of Montreal’s Quartier des Spectacles, dedicated to bringing immersive public art into cities around the world. Building on more than 20 years of experience in cultural production and placemaking, they work with municipalities, festivals and cultural organisations to transform public spaces into vibrant places where people gather, play and connect. Their catalogue features more than 20 touring installations spanning light, sound and participatory experiences. To date, these works have been presented in more than 107 cities worldwide, reaching audiences across Europe, North America, Asia and Australia. Over the years, QDSi has developed an international touring model that enables Montreal-born creative projects to travel seamlessly across the globe while adapting to the unique context of each destination. Working hand in hand with their partners, from planning and production to installation and on-site operations, we help cities and festivals use public art as a placemaking tool, creating memorable experiences that strengthen the connection between people and place.

Find out more about the artist.

Accessibility Information

A description of POP!'s soundscape for those who are hearing impaired.

Even at rest, POP! never fully sleeps. Around the monoliths, a bubbly, joyful and futuristic electronic soundscape sets the mood, like a little party waiting for its cue to begin.

As visitors call out, sing and shout to awaken the Poppettes, the soundscape builds in rhythm, energy and intensity. When all the creatures are activated, the music reaches its peak and POP! turns into a collective celebration of sound, light and movement.

And when night falls and the installation goes to sleep, listen closely. The Poppettes drift off too, accompanied by their soft, gentle snores.