Immerse yourself in impressionism at Atlanta’s new Monet Exhibit

Monet’s renowned water lily series at the Orangerie Museum in France houses eight monumental paintings, each one standing at six and a half feet tall. But what’s even more impressive than their height is their massive stretch across the museum’s oval-shaped gallery — the collective width of the paintings stopping just before three hundred feet — providing visitors with an enveloping 360-degree experience that many artists still dream of replicating to this day.

However, if you can’t make it to the Orangerie in the near future, don’t fret. The Exhibition Hub Art Center here in Atlanta is launching its North American premiere of the Monet Immersive Experience this Friday, October 28. Not only does the exhibit pay a breathtaking homage to the Orangerie’s water lilies, but it uses a digital lens to create the very same 360-degree experience for a myriad of Monet’s most famous masterpieces.

“Visitors can expect to be transported into Monet’s world like they never would have imagined,” says John Zaller, executive producer of the exhibit. Zaller is also the creator of the popular Bodies Exhibit that mesmerized Atlantic Station in 2019, and has been involved with other exhibitions as well, including Titanic and Jurassic World.

When asked how he would describe Monet’s work to someone that’s never seen it before, Zaller explains that Monet came of age during a time when photography was on the rise. “There was this thought that painting as an art form was going to die and that photography was going to take over,” he says. “Monet’s work disproved that. He negated that concept. A photograph, at that time especially, would show you what the image was. Monet’s work shows you how the image feels.”

The team behind the Monet Immersive Experience is the same one that led the popular Van Gogh Immersive Experience that swept the nation in 2021. But it won’t take long for visitors to realize that the atmosphere of the Monet Exhibit differs vastly from its predecessor, even before laying eyes on any of its visual artwork.

“This exhibit has a somewhat similar format [to the Van Gogh Immersive Experience],” says Zaller. “However, we’ve taken a completely different approach with Monet since both artists are so different.”

The background music that plays behind Zaller and the guests at the Monet Exhibit is a score composed of serene yet engaging notes — combining elements of violin, clarinet and piano with ambient nature chirps, all inspired by Monet’s work. 

But Van Gogh’s work, Zaller explains, is far more strained. “In the score that we used for Van Gogh, there were more angsty notes, more cacophony,” he says. “And that had a lot to do with how Van Gogh’s work presents itself.”

“I also think that we learned a lot after wrapping [Van Gogh], and we’ve noticed some things that we might have included in that exhibit in retrospect,” Zaller continues. 

This time around, Zaller and his team chose to replicate Monet’s painting studio — his atelier — complete with handwritten notes, colorful palettes of dried paint, and dozens of canvases showcasing Monet’s best creations. “The walk-through atelier is so transportive,” says Zaller. “It’s a new add that really makes a difference.”

Although some aspects have been tweaked, the Monet Immersive Experience ensures that visitors can still enjoy all the best parts of the previous exhibit. The crowd-pleasing immersive showroom still stands in all its glory, the supplemental VR experience still walks visitors through the artist’s greatest inspirations, and children and adults alike still enjoy projecting their own Monet coloring pages onto the studio walls. 

“As far as the incredible 4K technology in the immersive showroom, that hasn’t changed,” says Zaller. “But we have changed the screens and the floor material so that the images reflect a lot more crisply.”

Zaller says that creating an immersive experience like the Monet Exhibit is quite an involved process. “It starts with a spark — an idea to create something big. Then we write a script and create storyboards. The intent here is to tell a clear story in a highly visual and engaging way, but one that always stays true to the content.”

“Creating a good exhibition is like writing a best-selling novel or creating a blockbuster film,” Zaller continues. “If you stay true to the concept and find different ways to create variety and interest in the storyline, it can turn into something very compelling. It’s the same as any creative process — there are many different elements involved.”

The Monet Immersive Experience begins with an introduction to Claude Monet’s life in a typical museum format. A large portrait of Monet sits in the center of the space, as guests meander through the various introduction labels on the walls, learning fun facts about the artist’s travels, inspirations and techniques along the way. It’s the perfect exposition to the rest of Monet’s story.

Afterward, visitors are given the opportunity to get swept up in the setting. The atelier is where visitors can experience what it feels like to be an artist like Monet, appreciating his creative process as a result. But after that, visitors get a taste of Monet’s greatest muse — his incredible garden at his home in Giverny, France. 

The indoor garden space at the Monet Immersive Experience is modeled after some of Monet’s iconic works, including his paintings titled Water Lilies Harmony in Blue, The Artist’s Garden at Giverny and The Water Lily Pond — also known as “The Japanese Bridge” — amongst a few others. Visitors can gaze at the stunning violet flowers that hang from the weeping willow trees, pretend to swim with koi fish in the water lily pond, and even feel fluffy green grass beneath their feet. 

After the exposition and setting is revealed, the real storytelling begins. “I like to think of these immersive exhibitions as 3D walkthrough novels,” says Zaller. “Because that’s really what visitors are experiencing. That’s the level of craft that we aim for.”

The main event — the immersive showroom — is truly where the magic happens. Visitors can select a lawn chair, a park bench or a good old-fashioned carpet square to watch Monet’s travels and creations come to life, from the beginning of his career to the end. And to top off the exhibit, those who purchase VIP tickets are invited to try on a virtual reality headset and take an enchanting walk in Monet’s shoes. Once the journey is complete, each visitor — whether they have a VIP ticket or not — is left with an unforgettable experience. 

“There are a lot of ways to do an immersive experience,” says Zaller. “But ours is the best.” 

The Exhibition Hub Art Center, which was unveiled in Doraville earlier this fall, is the venue that currently houses the Monet Exhibit. Zaller’s team has a long-term lease on the building, meaning that it will continue to host similar immersive experiences in the future.

“The Exhibition Hub Art Center is here for a long time,” Zaller says. “We’re planning on bringing dozens of incredible cultural and family entertainment projects to the Atlanta area in this building.”

“We’re very excited,” he continues. “There’s no other place in Atlanta that has the space to hold massive exhibits like this aside from here. We’re looking forward to welcoming people from all over, and we’re also looking forward to collaborating with local digital and traditional artists to host their exhibitions in this space.”

Zaller wants to emphasize to the SCAD community that the Monet Immersive Experience is currently looking to hire creative professionals for upcoming exhibits. “We would love to work with SCAD students here at the Exhibition Hub,” says Zaller. “I think it would be a great opportunity for everyone involved.”

The Exhibition Hub Art Center has posted a guest services position on the SCAD job board, linked here. But if students with experience in animation, film, immersive reality, graphic design, storyboarding or art history are interested in getting more involved with future exhibits, they’re encouraged to send in a resumé as well. 

The Monet Immersive Experience will remain here in Atlanta at least until the end of the year. However, Zaller hopes to keep the project at the Exhibition Hub Art Center into early 2023 and beyond.

“Since our content is primarily digital, we can work in multiple cities at a time,” says Zaller. “We’re currently focused on Atlanta to make sure that everything’s coming together the way we intended it to. But we’re very, very happy with what we’ve created here.”

If you’re interested in spending an afternoon at the Monet Immersive Experience, the best way to purchase tickets is at monetexpo.com. But if you aren’t Atlanta-based, be on the lookout for openings in other major US cities over the next few months.

“The experience goes beyond immersive,” Zaller concludes. “It really is transcendent.”

Zaller and his team look forward to seeing you at the grand opening of the Monet Exhibit on Friday, October 28. “We hope that it’s an immersive experience you’ll never forget.”