In Downtown Markham, at Gallery Square (8111 Birchmount Rd, Markham, ON), art doesn’t sit still—and it doesn’t ask you to stand back.
Step into the square and you’ll encounter something unexpected: a Canadian flag formed not from fabric, but from hundreds of digital butterflies drifting across a building façade. As you move closer, they respond. A wave of your hand sends them scattering; a pause draws them gently back together. The artwork senses your presence and reacts in real time, transforming a simple walk through the square into a living, shared experience.
This is World Stage: Canada—a monumental interactive digital artwork by Dominic Harris—and it is meant to be touched.
When You Move, the Art Moves
Unlike traditional public art, World Stage: Canada is not something you only look at. It is something you activate. The butterflies respond to people passing beneath them—children running through the square, friends stopping to watch, visitors reaching out instinctively to see what happens next.
Each interaction causes the artwork to shift, scatter, and reform. No two moments are exactly the same. You are not just a viewer—you are part of the performance.
At the top of every hour, the experience becomes even more magical. A single, central butterfly emerges, guiding the others into a brief moment of unity and rhythm, marking time in the heart of the city. It’s a pause that draws people together, even if just for a moment.
Art in the Middle of Everyday Life
Set in Downtown Markham’s Town Square at 8111 Birchmount Rd, Markham, ON, the installation transforms a familiar public space into something more than a destination—it becomes a shared moment where technology, art, and community intersect. Whether you’re arriving for dinner, attending an event, or simply passing through, the artwork invites you to slow down, look up, and engage. It’s art that doesn’t require a ticket, a guide, or prior knowledge; it simply asks you to show up. While photos and videos offer a glimpse, they cannot fully capture the experience—the true impact comes when you realize the butterflies are responding to you, when your movement shapes the artwork, and when the space itself feels momentarily alive. World Stage: Canada is a reminder that art can be playful, immersive, and deeply human, especially when it exists outdoors, among the people it’s created for.
Come visit.
Reach out.
Watch it come alive.
The installation is part of The Remington Contemporary Art Gallery (RCAG), The Remington Group’s public art initiative in Downtown Markham. Conceived as a gallery without walls and revealed in unexpected places, RCAG features a curated collection of works by a distinguished and diverse group of international artists, thoughtfully embedded throughout the district’s public realm. This commitment to meaningful, accessible art is a defining element of Downtown Markham’s vision—distinguishing it as a highly elevated, master-planned community where culture, design and everyday life are intentionally woven together.
Meet The Artist
Dominic Harris is a British artist working at the intersection of art, coding, and technology. Known for interactive digital installations, he uses custom-built software and computational systems as creative tools, allowing technology to actively shape each artwork. His works invite real-time audience engagement, influencing narrative and visual outcomes. With a background in architecture, Harris bridges physical and virtual worlds, combining technical precision with poetic, often playful expression. Exhibited internationally in museums, galleries, and private collections, his work is recognized for its visual impact and conceptual depth—highlighting the powerful convergence of code and creativity in contemporary art.
