Jean Verville paints 5,000 gold footprints for his Dance Floor installation in Montreal

Architect Jean Verville has created Dance Floor, an installation of 5,000 gold painted footprints for The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts in Canada. During summer 2016 the artwork takes over a section of Museum Avenue opposite the institution, inviting visitors to follow the steps, improvise dance routines or contort Twister-like into strange stances on the huge patterned floor. This is captured animatedly by photographer Maxime Brouillet.

The paving is reminiscent of classical hammered gold mosaics, a nod to the museum’s current exhibition Pompeii, but with a contemporary slant. At first glance it appears as an abstract motif, but on closer inspection the footprints have a fun interactive element. It’s a simple idea with alluring effects. With the installation, the architect hopes to draw in the crowds and enliven the museum’s surrounding public area.