By STEVEN HOWELL
Contributing Writer
June 25, 2009 03:22 am
—
MONTREAL — Water, water is everywhere at the Montreal Science Centre.
On display is "Aqua," a colorful new multimedia installation co-presented by the One Drop Foundation, the brainchild of Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte. The water theme continues with a new IMAX feature called "Under the Sea 3D," a film that explores the pristine biodiversity of the waters off the Australian coast known as the Coral Triangle.
ONE DROP
"Aqua" is a 25-minute installation that's an absolute visual delight. It also makes you stop and think.
"It's a project of the One Drop Foundation, which aims to give access to water all around the world, especially in the parts of the world where the access is more difficult," said Michel Groulx, head of research and content of the Montreal Science Centre.
The installation was designed by the Cirque du Soleil team.
"The main message of the exhibition is to show that each one of us can do something, just one action, to improve the world's water supply," said Groulx.
The interactive display is told in three parts. The first segment introduces us to a world of children at play in water. Two guides offer the crowd a drop of water that lights up and fits perfectly in the palm of your hand — a concrete reminder that it is our responsibly to care for this precious resource, this precious drop. We are then led through a mini waterfall.
A 360-degree panoramic screen then tells a stunningly visual multimedia account of the world's water. The interactive screen lets you wave your hand to make an ocean wave splash or even swipe clean the fog off a window — quite clever.
But our worst actions as humans are also importantly addressed with the topics of oil spills and contaminated water supplies. Finally, we are invited to place our water drops in a wishing well and are asked to make a commitment, a small gesture, of how we can act to preserve water.
Don't miss "Aqua."
FANTASTIC FISHES
Next is "Under the Sea 3D," a film that explores the beautiful Coral Triangle.
The large-screen IMAX format lends itself nicely to some spectacular underwater photography. As an added bonus, actor Jim Carrey narrates.
"More marine species live here than anywhere else on earth," he says in the film.
And what an incredible undersea world it is. We meet a number of fantastic fishes and undersea creatures, including a puffy epilet shark, which prefers to crawl rather than swim.
A number of species are adept at the art of camouflage. For example, the wollongong shark "looks like a shag carpet," said Carrey. "And the frog fish resembles a sponge."
While some species blend into the environment, some just prefer to hide. A magnificent sting ray does just that and buries itself in sand on the ocean floor in a quick movement of its wings. The stingray settles into the sand but leaves one part of its body unintentionally exposed.
"Dude, I can totally see your tail," quips Carrey.
Perhaps the most beautiful of all is the delicate leafy sea dragon.
"He has turned camouflage into an exquisite work of art," Carrey narrates.
HOPEFUL SIGNS
The film does pay proper attention to protecting these great coral reefs, including Australia's 12,000-year-old Great Barrier Reef, "the largest living structure on earth."
The reefs, mountains of limestone or calcium carbonate, are created by the combination of carbon dioxide and sunlight.
"But the amount of carbon dioxide is critical," Carrey narrates. "And sudden changes in climate can exterminate species that cannot adapt quickly."
Corals indeed need carbon dioxide to grow, but we're putting too much of it into the atmosphere too fast, says Carrey. And so the coral reefs bleach white and die.
"But there are hopeful signs of an even greater change taking place," the narrator says. "It's a change within us. We finally seem ready to accept the responsibility for the changes we are causing to our atmosphere and our oceans. We have the skills. And our legacy can be an ocean wonderland where dragons still roam and where sea lions are forever at play."
"Aqua" continues through Sept. 7. "Under the Sea 3D" plays throughout the summer with two English shows daily (times vary).
The Montreal Science Centre is at the King Edward Pier in the Old Port. Exhibitions admission costs $12 for adults, $11 for teens and seniors, and $9 for children 4 to 12. Single film IMAX admission costs $12 for adults, $11 for teens and seniors, and $9 for children 4 to 12. Combo rate is $20 for adults, $18 for teens and seniors, and $15 for children 4 to 12. For more information and complete schedule, call (514) 496-4629 or visit www.montrealsciencecentre.com. Also visit www.onedrop.org and www.imax.com/underthesea.
E-mail Steven Howell at: writeonbetty@sympatico.ca
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