Fireworks With Soul
by Pierre-Alain Hubert

A spectacular once-off outdoor pyrotechnics, music and light show on and around the Regional Cultural Centre’s distinctive glass and aluminium structure. The event not only featured a dramatic pyrotechnics show designed by Pierre-Alain Hubert but also a lighting installation by Guy Barriscale and atmospheric music performed live by the brilliant Donegal sean-nós choir Cór Thaobh a Leithid. Designed by craftsman, performance artist of the sky and a dealer of dreams, Pierre-Alain Hubert, from Marseille, France, who is considered to be one of the great Pyrotechnic artists of our time. For over 35 years he has enthralled audiences the world over from Athens to Zimbabwe, with his spectacular creations. In his own words his displays are “an opera of light where fireworks play a part”, but not the only part. Trained as an architect, and famed for his ability to interact and inspire his surroundings, whether at


the Palace of Versailles, Ceausescu’s Place in Bucharest, or along the Great Wall of China, his creations are never fireworks only. “Fireworks are but one possibility” music, fire and especially movement all play a full part in his displays. Hubert believes that fireworks without motion are boring - with water skiers toting flares, helicopters bursting with fireworks or 1000 cyclists choreographed as 2,000 wheels in motion to symbolise China’ bid for the Olympic games – nothing is too spectacular. Even the audience becomes part of the shows as he ignites their heart and soul with the beauty of his paintings in the sky.

Fireworks With Soul, 2009
Commissioned utilising the Per Cent for Art Scheme arising from Letterkenny Housing projects, medium: Pyrotechnics


 photo of fire display  photo of fire display  photo of fire display  photo of fire display
photo of fire display photo of Pierre-Alain Hubert


Biography of artist

Pierre-Alain Hubert

Craftsman, performance artist of the sky and adealer of dreams, Pierre-Alain Hubert, from Marscille, France is considered to be one of the great pyrotechnic artist of our time. For over 35 years he has enthralled the public the world over from Athens to Zimbabwe, with his spectacular creations.

In his own words his displays are "an opera of bright light where fireworks play a part", but not the only part. Trained as an architect, and famed for his ability to interact and inspire his surroundings, whether the Palace of Versailles, Ceausescu's Plalace in Bucharest, or along the Great Wall of China his creations are never fireworks only. 'Fireworks are but one possibility", music, fire and especially movement all play a full part in his displays. Hubert belives that fireworks without motion are boring. Water skiers toting flares, helicopters bursting with fireworks or 1000 cyclists choreographed as 2000 wheels in motion to symbolize China's bid for the Olympic games, nothing is too spectacular. Even the audience become part of the show as he ignites their heart and soul with the beauty of his painting in the sky.

"Fireworks with soul" says Pierre-Alain Hubert, "A painting will speak to you again, I only get one shout at making an impression on my audience, I deal with the instant."

1960-1964 School of Applied Arts Paris

1964-1967 Ecole Normale Superieure de Cachan CAPES

1968 Massachusetts Institute of Technology Center for Visual Studies Avanced Cambridge (USA)

Pierre-Alain Hubert, engaging in the early 1970s, a route of artist-sculptor has quickly made ​​the choice of a work linking art and popular art: the fireworks.

He has given to this activity, a personal sense where art, scenery and fireworks create an event for a place for a date.

"I was looking for a way to communicate. That's when I realized that the fireworks met all the parameters I was trying to assemble. It's free, democratic and targets a wide audience that can make several readings at several levels, it really is popular culture. I see the fireworks as one of the Fine Arts ".

His work led him wandering around the world, realizing his pyrotechnics in China as the U.S. or Latin America. Over the years, projects have become far more impressive bike tricks miles from Beijing.