It may appear like a dialogue between Paul Cézanne and Pierre-Auguste Renoir, two of the greatest masters of French painting, inviting visitors into their inner worlds and offering new insights into their lives and deep friendships. The visitors can also step onto a French train platform and embark on a journey into the creative realms of the French Impressionist masters.
Two separate exhibitions, currently going on in Hong Kong, mark the 150th anniversary of the first Impressionist exhibition – the beginning of a 19th-century art movement held in 1874 in Paris.
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The exhibitions that cover both the traditional museum and cutting-edge virtual reality (VR) technologies enable the viewers to delve into the rich tapestry of light, color, and history in parallel universes.
Titled The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: Cézanne and Renoir – Looking at the World marks the first major showcase of these two Impressionist masters in Hong Kong, featuring 52 esteemed works from the Musée de l’Orangerie and the Musée d’Orsay, and is hosted by the Hong Kong Museum of Art (HKMoA).
“It is a brilliant illustration of cultural exchange between East and West, a glowing testament to Hong Kong-French co-operation, and a tribute to last year's 150th anniversary of the world’s first Impressionist exhibition,” Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law Shuk-pui said during the opening ceremony on Jan 16.
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The HKMoA has also invited two Hong Kong artists, Trevor Yeung and Lai Kwan-ting, to draw inspiration from the works of the two art masters and create their own.
Another highlight, Tonight with the Impressionists, Paris 1874 – An Immersive Expedition in Virtual Reality, organized by the Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI) and co-produced by Excurio, GEDEON Experiences, and the Musée d'Orsay, is a 42-minute computer-generated environment that transports audiences back to the time and space where Impressionism emerged.
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Upon donning VR headsets in a 1,000 square-meter room, visitors will find themselves in the Parisian studio of the photographer Nadar, the venue of the first-ever Impressionist exhibition, according to a press statement.
Emmanuel Guerriero, president of Excurio, and Agnès Garaudel, general manager of GEDEON Experiences, concur that among the show highlights is the scene dedicated to Monet's Impression, Sunrise.
The challenge was to immerse visitors in the scene as if they were seeing the moment through the eyes of Monet, said Garaudel.
“We’ve noticed that more institutions are showing interest in VR. It offers a fresh way of engaging with the cultural content. Audiences who traditionally might not be particularly interested in art and culture are drawn in by the innovative, technological, or experimental aspects of the experience,” she added.
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Speaking to China Daily, Guerriero said, “The interactive approach is essential. Visitors could move freely throughout the experience, engaging with their journey in a way that a film cannot replicate. The strength of virtual exhibition lies in its ability to be implemented anywhere in the world, and eliminating physical barriers.”
The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: Cézanne and Renoir – Looking at the World
Date: Jan 17 – May 7, 2025
Fee: HK$50 (Standard)
Venue: Hong Kong Museum of Art
Tonight with the Impressionists, Paris 1874 – An Immersive Expedition in Virtual Reality
Date: Jan 24 – May 11, 2025
Fee: HK$ 80 (Booking via Klook)
Venue: Hong Kong Design Institute
Contact the writer at irismuk@chinadailyhk.com
