Ottawa, Ontario
Mr. Conboy, along with Robert H. Thomson, co-produced both the Vimy Vigil in 2007 and the much larger-scale remembrance vigil in 2008 called VIGILE 1914-1918 VIGIL. Both projects gained national attention and touched Canadians across the country, setting a new standard for imaginative and unique approaches to remembrance. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II graciously opened the 2008 Vigil in London, England at Canada House. The Queen delivered remarks as the first of 68,000 Canadian names appeared by projection in Trafalgar Square. Martin Conboy's perseverance and resolute professionalism were key to the success of the Vigil. Mr. Conboy is a lighting artist who has also helped re-imagine the National War Memorial and the Tomb Of The Unknown Soldier in Ottawa, as well as the Vimy Memorial in France. His lighting of those monuments has not only evoked the deep purposes of the monuments, but added a layer of meaning and enriched the experience of visitors to the sights. For his work on the Vimy Monument, Mr. Conboy won the Concours Lumières held by Le Syndicat des Entreprises de Génie Électrique et Climatique in France.