A new immersive art exhibition, devoted to Impressionist paintings, allows visitors to feel they are stepping into the artworks, thanks to a mix of digital projections, accompanied by light displays, sounds and fragrances.
- Read: Immersive shows in London | 5 best shows in 2025
- Read: 5 pieces of classical music inspired by paintings
- Watch: Interview with artisan perfumer Sarah McCartney about her work in the arts
Based in Sydney’s Royal Hall of Industries until April 6, Monet & Friends – Life, Light & Colour features paintings by Claude Monet, Camille Pissarro, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Paul Cézanne, Edgar Degas – all projected on a large scale in a 360-degree cinematic environment. They are accompanied by music from Debussy, Tchaikovsky, Ravel and Offenbach, as well as period-appropriate scents (nutmeg, cypress, sandalwood).
- Listen: Concert pianist Stephen Hough describes his passion for painting
- Read: Films inspired by paintings | 5 of the best
- Read: Feature on Bittersuite | the group that combines live music, taste and fragrance
- Read: New virtual garden marks anniversary of Penderecki’s death
The immersive art exhibition examines the world of Impressionism across three main movements: Metropolitan, A Day in the Life and En Plein Air. The images displayed included the waterlilies Monet painted at his garden at Giverney, and the ballerinas Edgar Degas captured practising at the barre.
- Read: A festival features paintings by classical musicians created during lockdown
- Read: Perfumes inspired by music | 5 of the best
- Read: Preview of Osmodrama | a Berlin-based festival of smell
- Read: Review of Osmodrama | a Berlin-based festival of smell
The organisers state that the exhibition is a safe and COVID-compliant, family-friendly experience.