A piece of living public art

A piece of living public art Montreal’s Musical Swings brings strangers together to make music

Musical Swings is an urban interactive installation by French Canadian art and design studio Daily tous les jours. The ‘living piece of public art’ is described as a collective experience that is designed to stimulate human connections in public spaces by inviting strangers from all backgrounds to make music together. It’s an intuitive game, where cooperation between participants unlocks secret melodies, encouraging collaboration and an active awareness of each other.

Created in 2011, the installation has become a celebrated icon of Montreal’s entertainment district, Quartier des Spectacles. The shared experience has been designed to transcend social isolation by inviting people to stop for a moment and enjoy life with the people they anonymously pass every day.

“Collective experiences have the power to break down the social barriers that prevent us from interacting in a public space,” explained Mouna Andraos and Melissa Mongiat, the masterminds behind the installation.

“The cooperative nature of the installation transforms unusual and underused sites into thriving destinations that are welcoming for all. Over time, the swings create new urban habits, bringing in a new sense of ownership over the shared space.”

Andraos explained, “When the swings move together in unison, they create a musical composition through which unique melodies can emerge if participants cooperate. The gentle, kinetic quality of the acoustic sounds blends seamlessly into the urban environment.”

Participants reported feeling like they were making music with their entire bodies; surrendering themselves unexpectedly to this collective performance, almost as if by magic!

Photo Credit: Thomas Kimmel

Photo Credit: Olivier Blouin

Daily commissioned an independent study over a 19- week period to analyze the economic and social impact of the temporary installation and its results were music to anyone’s hears! Musical Swings had 156 visitors per hour and a 293% return on investment- not a

Since its installation in Canada, Musical Swings has toured the world and received international recognition for its design, including; the Grand Prize at UNESCO Shenzhen Design Awards, Best in Show at the Interaction Awards and the Global Innovators Prize at the Knights Cities Challenge. “We want to generate more of these daily shared experiences. In anything we do, we try to move the unmovable and highlight the benefits of cooperation.”

See Daily tous les jours latest art installation, The Pearl Divers, currently on display at Dubai Creek Harbor.