Next year, patrons of the arts in Melbourne will be treated to a large-scale immersive digital exhibition called The Lume, a $15 million, 2000-square-metre gallery that will be installed with 150 state-of-the-art projectors.
Some of the world’s most famous artworks will be projected within the space as it’s filled with an array of aromas. Music will be added to this multi-sensory experience, too. You might view a painting by Vincent van Gogh or a work by Leonardo da Vinci, as the company behind The Lume owns and operates Museo Leonardo da Vinci in Rome.
A digital art space opening in Melbourne promises a multi-sensory experience including projections, music, smells, and even food.
“The Lume is the next generation digital art gallery,” says Bruce Peterson, Founder and CEO of Grande Exhibitions which began over a decade ago with the aim of redefining the gallery experience.
“It is the natural extension of Grande Exhibitions’ successful traveling exhibitions businesses and is perfectly positioned to serve the world’s growing appetite for authentic and meaningful shared experiences.”
Those able to experience The Lume will be encompassed by an approximately 90-minute digital performance that envelops the senses, one that has been choreographed to synchronise music, image, and sound. It’s sure to be a unique occurrence and one that differs from the traditional gallery space within which we are so used to seeing works of art displayed.
That said, it’s questionable, however, whether removing works of art from their traditional context will denigrate the intention of the artists themselves. Will one be able to really appreciate the work of Vincent van Gogh, for instance, if the work is projected in large format and accompanied by smells and sounds not intended to be used in conjunction with the art by the artist when they originally produced it?
Watch this space — we’ll have to reserve judgement until The Lume opens in Autumn next year.
