Few artists developed styles as distinctive as Vincent Van Gogh and Claude Monet. The famous Dutch and French painters' heavy brushstrokes have viewers wishing they could jump through the painting — and thankfully, they can, as "Beyond Van Gogh" and "Beyond Monet" are now open in Austin.
Both experiences were initially scheduled to take place from May 31 to September 14 at the Austin American-Statesman Building (305 S. Congress Ave.), the former home of the local newspaper. Now dates have been extended to run through October 27. This is the second extension so far.
When they opened, Beyond Van Gogh was returning, and Beyond Monet appeared to be new to Austin, although another immersive Monet experience was previously held here.
The two immersive experiences — among a hard-to-track trend of similar exhibits — have become widely known for projecting each artist's paintings in vivid colors on walls and sometimes on the floor. (This one is produced by Paquin Entertainment Group.) Viewers are fully surrounded by the famous works, quite literally in a new light. These projectors boast a four trillion-pixel resolution, so details remain firmly intact.
Monet was famous for painting environments changing over time, so this is right on-brand.Photo courtesy of Paquin Entertainment Group
Like any museum exhibit, these immersive experiences include some context about the artists, and these experiences in particular include symphonic scores. Fine art purists may prefer to see the works in their original dimensions, but this experience is decidedly not for purists.
Animations bring the paintings to life while visitors walk around, usually taking photos. This traveling show has become popular with the selfie crowd on social media, but user photos show visitors of all ages — including folks exploring in the background with no phones in sight.
If these digital connections have an edge over physical collections around the world, it's that they're nearly boundless in how many works they can include. The Musée Marmottan Monet in Paris is said to have more than 300 pieces in the world's largest collection of the painter's work; Beyond Monet features more than 400. The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam holds its namesake's largest collection in the world, with more than 200 paintings and nearly 500 drawings; Beyond Van Gogh displays more than 300.
The projections make it easy to transport art to Austin.Photo courtesy of Paquin Entertainment Group
"When you stand inside these immersive experiences, you truly feel like you are part of these artists’ world," said Beyond Van Gogh and Beyond Monet art historian Fanny Curtat in a press release. "Audiences are seeing a fresh and original perspective, allowing us to form new relationships with notable masterpieces in dynamic and fascinating ways."
Whether art-lovers are looking for an overview of two of the greatest painters who ever lived, or interested in a new way to experience pieces they know and love, they'll find both at Beyond Van Gogh and Beyond Monet. If choosing one is too difficult, tickets can be bundled for both.
Tickets (starting at $29.99 for adults and $19.99 for children) are available at beyondexhibitions.com. The experiences are open Tuesdays through Thursdays from 10 am to 8 pm, Fridays and Saturdays from 10 am to 9 pm, and Sundays from 10 am to 7 pm. Base-price tickets are timed, but an additional cost opens up flexible entry.
This article was originally published April 30 and was updated September 10 to reflect the expanded dates.
