Haute Event: GAIA Launch with Guy Laliberté

Barbara Lazaroff and Guy Laliberte

Guy Laliberté, founder of world-famous Cirque du Soleil, launched his GAIA book of photography at the swanky SLS Hotel last night. GAIA documents his six months of taking photos of earth—as seen from the International Space Station—with never-seen-before images of the planets surface, showing the colors and textures of 40 countries visible from 220 miles away. Traveling at 17,500 miles per hour, while making 16 tours of the earth every day, it was only after he returned that he decided to share the curated photos.

Sam Nazarian and Guy Laliberte

Using a Nikon D3S and Nikon D3X digital-SLR cameras, Laliberté shares 300 pages of images in which deserts re¬semble contemporary abstract paintings, cities rise up like mini mountain ranges, and faces are revealed in the terrain.

ASSOULINE books – the luxury book and gift items brand – has published a limited edition $895 linen clamshell version and also a $65 hard-cover copy.

Guests included designer Barbara Lazaroff, David & Angella Nazarian, Genevieve Bujold, Guy Laliberté Lois Aldrin and Sam Nazarian, among others.

Laliberté was born in Québec Cityand is an accomplished n accordionist, stilt walker, and fire-eater. He founded Cirque du Soleil, Québec’s first internationally renowned circus, with the support of a small group of colleagues. A bold visionary, Laliberté recognized and cultivated the talents of the street performers from the Fête foraine de Baie-Saint-Paul. He was the first to orchestrate the marriage of cultures and artistic and acrobatic disciplines that is the hallmark of Cirque du Soleil. Since 1984, he has guided the creative team through the creation of every show. Today, Cirque du Soleil is a sprawling international operation, with activities on five continents
Laliberté dedicated his personal spaceflight to raising awareness about water issues facing humankind, making his first—in his own words—“poetic social mission” in space. Proceeds from book sales go to One Drop, a not-for-profit organization initiated by Laliberté to fight poverty worldwide by ensuring that everyone across the planet has access to clean water, now and in the future.

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