TALENT

Fireworks:
Pierre-Alain Hubert

Self-proclaimed “Dealer in Dreams,” Pierre-Alain Hubert has taken fireworks to a whole new realm. He describes his work as “paintings in the sky,” and his “paintings” have delighted heads of state and audiences throughout the world.

You could trace M. Hubert’s explosive beginnings back to his birthday, June 5th, 1944, commonly known as D-Day. In school, he combined his love of art with his love of cities and urban life to emerge with a degree in Painting and Theoretical Architecture. Despite his success in that field, (he designed the Marseilles subway main station) Pierre decided he wanted to animate night life with large spectacles of light and fireworks.

M. Hubert began his study of pyrotechnics alone, buying and dismantling every firework on the market. The French government, recognizing his talent, offered him a grant to improve the French firework industry. Following that, he moved to Japan where he perfected his craft under firework master Takeo Shimizu.

His list of accomplishments spans more than twenty-five years and all corners of the globe. The world watched in awe as Pierre’s pyrotechnic mastery lit up the Champs Elysée and other famous Parisian landmarks to ring in the new millennium. The celebration was broadcast all over the world and was widely hailed as one of the world’s finest and most artistic.

M. Hubert landed in the Guinness Book of World Records for his display at the 1993 East Asian Games in Shanghai, China. He envisioned a dragon made up of small fireworks attached to bicycles. Once completed, the “dragon” measured a mile long, the greatest span ever for a fireworks display.

At the Eighth World Conference at Versailles, France, M. Hubert presented the world leaders with “A Shower of Stars” to mark the completion of their summit meeting. As these heads of state returned to their lodgings, the pools and fountains of Versailles came alive with fiery displays bursting from well-hidden points in the fountains’ structure. All this led up to the grand finale of aerial bombs exploding over the big canal which was covered with orange smoke. The European press association A.F.P remarked, “…without a doubt, never has there been such a stunning presentation of fireworks.”