Atelier des Lumières is a new digital art center with a unique way to immerse yourself in art.  Located in the 11th arr. the building used to be an iron foundry founded in 1835 and was in operation until 1929. It was then discovered by Culturespace in 2013 as the perfect place to house a new digital art center.

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The president of Culturespace says this is a way of bridging different eras of art. Atelier des Lumières opened its doors to the public in 2018 and has had huge success. They created a space to interact with the art. The whole location is one huge space with a few small closed off areas, like rooms. One of these rooms is filled with mirrors and there is a circular one with information and more pictures. There is also a small water feature built into the ground with a bridge over it.

The art is put into a cycle with one or two shorter shows followed by the main show. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing Klimt in 2018 and Van Gogh in 2019. There were four exhibitions in the first year, 2018, and three in 2019. 

The art is projected on all the walls and the floor. Sometimes it fades in, sometimes a tree will build itself onto the wall. The images move across the landscape of the wall to help you feel included in the painting. There is music that follows the emotion of the piece. One example is Japanese paintings of fish leaping out of the moving waves with appropriate sound effects. 

The best idea is to view the entire show more than once. Grab a seat on the floor or on the balcony to see the full almost 360 degree view. Then on the second viewing walk around to see different angles and different rooms. Step in some puddles painted by Van Gogh. 

There is no limit to the amount of time you are allowed to spend watching the shows. So get comfy and live in the art.