During an average human lifetime, we spend 2 years eating, 11 years working, 19 years walking, 25 years sleeping. We stand for 30 years. We sit for 19 years. We laugh for 115 days.
This journey through life — and the seconds that count — is the theme of a new digital immersion experience opening at the TELUS Spark Science Centre.
Opening on July 29, a 6,000 square-foot gallery has been transformed to dial up digital projection by immersing guests in a story that unfolds as they follow a pathway. The project was developed by Spark with Supply and Demand Studio Inc., a company started by the former multimedia director at Cirque du Soleil, Olivier Goulet.
“We are pleased to support beacons of innovation like TELUS Spark Science Centre that are such an important part of Alberta’s recovery and prosperous economic future,” said the Honorable Ron Orr, Minister of Culture, Government of Alberta.
The first experience, called “Every Second,” takes the viewer on a journey through the math of moments that make up a lifetime. Narrated by Italian-American actress, author and philanthropist, Isabella Rossellini, the show was written and directed by Les 7 Doigts, an award-winning interdisciplinary team specializing in storytelling and spectacle based in Montreal, Quebec.
While Rossellini’s voice draws visitors into the first passage, the lights grow dim and fog drifts by. As the sound of heartbeats fill the hall, it becomes clear that this is an exploration of birth. Five stages of life are explored as visitors meander through a pathway of linked rooms. Projections flood the walls and floors with images and often surprising statistics. Childhood and discovery, adolescence and transformation, adulthood and connections and finally old age and wisdom.
“As we pull out of the pandemic, we are all ready to refocus on the things that give life its meaning,” said Mary Anne Moser, President and CEO of TELUS Spark Science Centre. “With the premiere exhibition in this new digital immersion gallery, we wanted to give people back the magic of a moment. And some data. What better place to explore new frontiers with digital technology than a science center.”
“Every Second” opens to the public on July 29 and will run until Jan. 30, 2022. The second exhibition will open in Feb. 2022 followed by a stream of new experiences every six months or so. Guests will be able to explore, for example, a giant walkthrough brain, the bottom of the ocean, the furthest reaches of space or go back in time, all through stories using advanced digital technology.
“Investments in cultural infrastructure are a vital part of building strong and inclusive communities,” said the Honorable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Heritage. “We are proud to support a cultural facility that fosters curiosity and creativity, while ensuring a legacy of quality infrastructure investments in Calgary.”
