Déracinements in Québec, Canada by Agence Spatiale

08 Sep 2022

Many people converged towards Parc des Moulins in 2022 to discover the Déracinements painting by creator Lorraine Côté, and architect Étienne Bernier from the firm Agence Spatiale.

Photo credit: 1Px - Dave Tremblay

For the past 7 years, Quebec City has hosted the walking theatre, "where you go when you sleepwalk", presented by the Carrefour international de théâtre, which is a journey that leads visitors on a discovery of several paintings created by artists from various specialities. Approximately 70,000 people converged towards Parc des Moulins in 2022 to discover, among other things, the Déracinements painting by creator Lorraine Côté, and architect Étienne Bernier from the firm Agence Spatiale.

Installed on the site of the recently destroyed Indo-Australian greenhouse, a large wire mesh structure shelters groups of individuals from all eras, from fur traders to climate refugees, who are constantly uprooted. Illuminated, the greenhouse-inspired structure is reminiscent of a zoo's animals, who have also been uprooted from their environments. As the actors perform, the wire mesh arches take on a vaporous, ghostly look thanks to lighting effects. Sometimes warm, sometimes cold, the luminous tones accentuate the sense of urgency or serenity felt during the performance, allowing the structure to evolve at the same pace.

Photo credit: 1Px - Dave Tremblay

This large-scale project is unusual in that it is entirely hand-made, and its construction costs are low due to the use of modest materials. Designed to serve the artwork presented, the concept takes on its full meaning when illuminated, and comes to life when inhabited. This colossal set allowed the artists, as well as the spectators, to immerse themselves in an almost spectral world.

Technical sheet

  • Where: Parc des Moulins, 8191 Av. du Zoo, Québec, QC G1G 6T8
  • Client: Carrefour international de théâtre
  • Design: Étienne Bernier and Lorraine Côté
  • Props design: Marianne Lebel
  • Costume design: Marilou Bois
  • Sound design: Stéphane Caron
  • Lighting design: Laurent Routhier
  • Set design assistance: Estelle Bernier, Julie Chabot Bergeron, Henri-Louis Chalem, Marianne Charbonneau, Alex Clavet, Émilie Manon Cormier, Marie-Laurence Denis, Audrey Dugas, Jérome Duval, Gabriel Godin, Mathieu Gotti, Eulalie Lecoq, Todd Picard
  • Costume design assistance: Aube Forest-Dion, Jo Leblanc, Héloïse Pilon
  • Lighting assistance: Elliot Gaudreau and Maude Groleau
  • Stage Manager: Laurence Croteau-Langevin
  • Dresser: Marilou Bois
  • Performers: Thomas Boudreault-Côté, Nicola Boulanger, Vincent Champoux, Lauriane Charbonneau, Laurent Fecteau-Nadeau, Gabriel Fournier, Margo Ganassa, Amélie Laprise, Silviu Vincent Legault, Angélique Patterson, Annabelle Pelletier-Legros, Guillaume Pepin, Maxime Perron, Maureen Roberge, Mathieu Turcotte
  • Suppliers: Fence wire 
  • Budget: 75K
  • Project end date: Mai 2022
  • Photographer: Stéphane Bourgeois et Dave Tremblay