Irene F. Whittome

Château d’eau : lumière mythique, 1997

© Irene F. Whittome / SOCAN (2022) • Photo: Denis Farley

Irene F. Whittome, Château d’eau : lumière mythique, © Irene F. Whittome / SOCAN (2022) • Photo: Denis Farley

© Irene F. Whittome / SOCAN (2022) • Photo: Denis Farley

Irene F. Whittome, Château d’eau : lumière mythique, © Irene F. Whittome / SOCAN (2022) • Photo: Denis Farley
Artist
Irene F. Whittome
Title
Château d’eau : lumière mythique
Dimensions and medium
Cedar wood, wood, metal, mirrors, ivory narwhal tusks, sound, and light, A320 × 305 cm (diameter)
Artwork description
For several decades, Irene F. Whittome has maintained a quasi-anthropological practice. Her research involves collecting and creating artifacts from modern civilisation, as with her installation Château d'eau : lumière mythique. In the spirit of conservation practices normally associated with museums, Whittome salvaged an old wooden water tower that had been used to collect rain water, and repurposes it as the central element of this piece. By leaving the object untouched, the artist preserves its historical imprint. However, the transfer of the artifact into a new context (the museum or exhibition space), modifies its primary function, giving it new symbolic meaning. Here, it becomes a reservoir of light. For Whittome, the light that spills over the top of the piece evokes a kind of mystical energy that compels us to reflect on the human condition, while the light that escapes the lower edges of the tower symbolizes the energy that inhabits us and allows us to act on these impulses. In addition to its significant symbolic weight, the structure’s monumental size physically dominates the space.

See Also

La Voie lactée, 1992, Light box, aluminum casing, and inkjet print on translucent canvas, 1/2.
Geneviève Cadieux, La Voie lactée, 1992 La Voie lactée, 1992, Light box, aluminum casing, and inkjet print on translucent canvas, 1/2.
31 soleils (Dawn Chorus), 2010, Video, 23 min 55 s, sound, 12 components sound system, mixer, 4 amplifiers, computer, cables, road case, and video projector.
Jean-Pierre Aubé, 31 soleils (Dawn Chorus), 2010 31 soleils (Dawn Chorus), 2010, Video, 23 min 55 s, sound, 12 components sound system, mixer, 4 amplifiers, computer, cables, road case, and video projector.
Moth Girls, 2010, Various objects and materials, 246 ceramic figurines, leather wings, feathers, paper, and wash.
Wangechi Mutu, Moth Girls, 2010 Moth Girls, 2010, Various objects and materials, 246 ceramic figurines, leather wings, feathers, paper, and wash.
Your space embracer, 2004, Glass mirror cylinder ring, metal wire, motor, light, and tripod, 3/3.
Olafur Eliasson, Your space embracer, 2004 Your space embracer, 2004, Glass mirror cylinder ring, metal wire, motor, light, and tripod, 3/3.
Untitled (Water), 1992, 5 light boxes with colour transparencies and 25 framed mirrors, 2/2.
Alfredo Jaar, Untitled (Water), 1992 Untitled (Water), 1992, 5 light boxes with colour transparencies and 25 framed mirrors, 2/2.
detail of Pulse Room, 2006, 300 incandescent light bulbs, voltage controllers, computer, heart rate sensor, and stainless steel structure, 1/1.
Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, Pulse Room, 2006 detail of Pulse Room, 2006, 300 incandescent light bulbs, voltage controllers, computer, heart rate sensor, and stainless steel structure, 1/1.
Icarus (La Récolte), 2011, Inkjet print on polypropylene banner, furniture, REGA P1 turntable, 33 rpm vinyl record, drawing on panel, metal disc, and vertical blinds.
Mathieu Beauséjour, Icarus (La Récolte), 2011 Icarus (La Récolte), 2011, Inkjet print on polypropylene banner, furniture, REGA P1 turntable, 33 rpm vinyl record, drawing on panel, metal disc, and vertical blinds.
Peinture sur/sous verre – Cadré / Encadré / Décadré # 58 I; Peinture sur/sous verre – Cadré / Encadré / Décadré # 59 J, 1990, 20 frames : plexiglass, wood, acrylic paint, and adhesive vinyl.
Daniel Buren, Peinture sur/sous verre – Cadré / Encadré / Décadré # 58 I; Peinture sur/sous verre – Cadré / Encadré / Décadré # 59 J, 1990 Peinture sur/sous verre – Cadré / Encadré / Décadré # 58 I; Peinture sur/sous verre – Cadré / Encadré / Décadré # 59 J, 1990, 20 frames : plexiglass, wood, acrylic paint, and adhesive vinyl.
The Archives of the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal, 1992, Metal shelves, 336 cardboard boxes, 336 labels, 196 colour photographs, and 16 electric lamps.
Christian Boltanski, Les Archives du Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal, 1992 The Archives of the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal, 1992, Metal shelves, 336 cardboard boxes, 336 labels, 196 colour photographs, and 16 electric lamps.
Propos type, 1977, Black and white video, mute, 30 min, television, masking tape, and elastic tape.
Jean-François Cantin, Propos type, 1977 Propos type, 1977, Black and white video, mute, 30 min, television, masking tape, and elastic tape.
Le Terrain du dictionnaire A/Z, 1980, Styrofoam, wooden sticks, cardboard, and paper.
Rober Racine, Le Terrain du dictionnaire A/Z, 1980 Le Terrain du dictionnaire A/Z, 1980, Styrofoam, wooden sticks, cardboard, and paper.
still of Remarques sur les couleurs (version française de « Remarks on Color, 1994 »), 1994-1998, Color video, projector, amplified sound system, 49 min, A.P. 1/1.
Gary Hill, Remarques sur les couleurs (version française de « Remarks on Color, 1994 »), 1994-1998 still of Remarques sur les couleurs (version française de « Remarks on Color, 1994 »), 1994-1998, Color video, projector, amplified sound system, 49 min, A.P. 1/1.
Tomorrow’s Achievements, 2014, Four motorized curtains, metallic rails, and processor, 1/3.
Ryan Gander, Tomorrow’s Achievements, 2014 Tomorrow’s Achievements, 2014, Four motorized curtains, metallic rails, and processor, 1/3.
We were in Kyoto, 1997, Boardwalk, wooden structure, plastic, motors, confettis, silk, electrical supplies, and plaster and cement rocks.
Ilya et Emilia Kabakov, We were in Kyoto, 1997 We were in Kyoto, 1997, Boardwalk, wooden structure, plastic, motors, confettis, silk, electrical supplies, and plaster and cement rocks.
Sans titre, 1984, Mixed media and pigment.
Anish Kapoor, Sans titre, 1984 Sans titre, 1984, Mixed media and pigment.
Loading...

Only a part of the collection is currently online and the artworks on display at the MAC are accompanied by the icon

The contents presented in this section are not exhaustive and may be subject to revision. If you have comments to share, or errors to report, please contact us at [email protected].

For information about copyright and intellectual property, or for a reproduction request, see our Terms of Use.