The dueling Van Gogh experiential exhibitions that spammed our social media feeds and drove Miamians to Ice Palace Studios and the Olympia Theater in droves in the summer and fall of 2021 were expected to usher in another wave of immersive art experiences this winter, but the omicron variant had something to say about that.
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One of many Monet scenes of people enjoying the French countryside.
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One of numerous social media photo backdrops at ‘Beyond Monet’.
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Biscayne Times executive editor Emily Cardenas inside a display set up for photo taking at the ‘Beyond Monet’ immersive experience.
The new COVID spread delayed “Beyond Monet” and sidelined “Klimt the Immersive Experience” altogether.
When I visited “Beyond Monet” in late February at 1400 N Miami Ave., it was just getting back on track and hitting its stride after a slow start.
When we published the preview piece I wrote about this digital, immersive experience for our January edition, David Rosenfeld, president of Primo Entertainment said this: “It’s bigger and more wow … a lot more interactive. ‘Monet’ has ponds and bridges, so it’s like a movie set – you go across bridges and water and visit another area as if you are inside his world. From the minute you walk in you are inside his world.”
Well … let’s just say it wasn’t that dramatic, although the preview room did have two little bridges over tiny artificial ponds in the center of a circular space with screens, where Monet’s work was projected and where you could read about what inspired him. It was a lovely and small, serene space.
Everything was consumed in about 15 minutes before entering the “Infinity Room.” The first 15-20 minutes of projection were the most impressive. It’s where an old locomotive animated off the canvas and made its way around the room, and where an ocean from the impressionist master’s work came crashing onto a rocky shore. Then those lush, French countrysides exploded onto large walls, inviting us into a 19th-century picnic.
A charming and very large green gazebo in the middle of the room seems to anchor people to that structure, unlike the experience of “Beyond Van Gogh,” which made people want to walk the room.
There are glass pillars throughout the space that are meant to create reflections but actually obstruct visibility, making it difficult to read the quotes that are occasionally projected onto the walls.
The dots and patches of color to indicate form that are characteristic of the impressionist style are sometimes best experienced on canvas in their original size; not expanded to the point of distortion. That’s the challenge of “Beyond Monet” that didn’t seem to be as much of a problem in the amplification of Van Gogh’s work in the earlier exhibition.
So, in the end, I don’t think it would be fair to say this show is bigger and more wow than “Beyond Van Gogh,” but it was still worth an evening and some fun in the beautiful post-exhibit, photo spots for some social media moments.
What’s next on the experiential exhibition front? A staff member at the gift shop told me they’re working on a Frida Kahlo show. Now that’s a provocative proposition that will most assuredly bring back the crowds.