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MANHATTAN, Kansas – The Museum of Art and Light, a space designed to showcase the bridge between modern and traditional art, opened in Manhattan, Kansas, on Nov. 8, 2024.
The museum’s opening provides U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to the 1st Infantry Division and Fort Riley an opportunity to explore the convergence of 21st century technology and art.
“I think [the museum] provides a new experience by using tech for the art," said Sydney Bouhaniche, the creative director of immersive exhibitions at the museum. “I think it also provides a mesmerizing and emotional feeling.”
Currently, exhibits on display include a fine art room, where mounted on the walls hang among others, works by Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dali. There is a floor dedicated to exploring the convergence of digital technology with art. A solo exhibition features the work of Mads Christensen, a Danish artist, trained as an electrical engineer who uses light as a medium. Finally, a luminous immersive room details the life and work of Pierre-Auguste Renoir, a French artist often viewed as a leader of impressionist style.
“Depending on where you go in the room you gain a different perspective,” said Bouhaniche, who worked alongside a team of five dedicated visual designers to build an exhibit using 400 pieces of Renoir’s art. “You can move around and always see new perspectives.”
Every brush stroke can be felt, and because every inch of the 21,500 square foot space is illuminated, visitors are given a moment to live in the paintings themselves and view the scope and scale to a more expansive degree. Paintings of France's natural landscape stretch across the walls as images of Paris rise to the ceiling.
In the same way light changes over the course of the day, the exhibit evolves and the pieces unfold with time. Every surface is enveloped in ambient light that is projected in such a way that makes visitors feel as though they are walking on the brush strokes and through the mind of the artist.
“Part of the [museum’s] fine art collection has examples of Renoir, and we wanted a thread through to connect to the immersive simulation,” said Erin Dragotto, executive director of the museum.
Other exhibits include a personal collection of fine artists reflecting a mix of styles, as well as a floor dedicated to exploring the evolution of art created using various types of digital technology.
“We’re trying to come back to the basics of why art is important,” said Degrotto. “Everyone is on their phones, or their heads are in a computer, so if the immersive can help elevate an appreciation or the digital can help elevate an appreciation then I think we’ve done our job.”
Over time the displays will change, allowing for different artists to be explored and enjoyed.
For Soldiers interested in experiencing the exhibits the Museum of Art and Light offers military members a discount. More information regarding hours of operation, as well as current and future exhibits, can be found on their website: (https://artlightmuseum.org/).
| Date Taken: | 12.17.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 12.20.2024 11:38 |
| Story ID: | 487714 |
| Location: | MANHATTAN, KANSAS, US |
| Web Views: | 17 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Museum of Art and Light Opens in Manhattan, by SGT Charles Leitner, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
