May 1- 31, 2010 Daily, 8am - 11pm

Brookfield Place, Bay Street facade

In Le siècle des lumières, 2008 - 10, Doyon-Rivest make spectacular use of the cathedral-like qualities of the Allen Lambert Galleria at Brookfield Place. The artists transform the Bay Street entrance’s 18-meter-high window into a giant stained glass-like artwork, featuring portraits of people lit by the small screens of their portable electronic devices. Each image, many of which were shot on location in Brookfield Place, reveals only the person’s face as they gaze at their cell phones, iPods or Blackberry’s. The portraits float together in an indeterminate black space, creating an atmosphere that makes us think of the beauty of the night sky. The all-over composition creates a contemporary allegory about our faith in communication technologies, a force that has power over all of our lives. In the new technological universe the artists’ evoke, no hierarchy exists; each figure is separate but of equal importance. The work is strongly suggestive of McLuhan’s idea that “tribal interdependence” would be the hallmark of the electronic era - a new age in which humankind will move from individualism to a collective identity. (Gutenberg Galaxy)

Doyon-Rivest is an artists' collective founded in 2000. Mathieu Doyon is a visual artist and musician, while Simon Rivest is a graphic designer and art director for an advertising agency.

CONTACT is an annual month long festival of photography with over 1000 local, national and international artists at more than 220 venues across the Greater Toronto Area in May. Founded as a not-for-profit organization 13 years ago, CONTACT is devoted to celebrating, and fostering an appreciation of the art and profession of photography.