Immersive Mona Lisa Digital Show to Open in Marseille

The Louvre and Grand Palais are collaborating on a large-scale digital light spectacle inspired by Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa. The immersive installation will take place in Marseille, opening on March 10, 2022. It serves as a test for the Grand Palais Immersif team, which is about to unveil a new exhibition space after extensive renovation. The Réunion des Musées Nationaux-Grand Palais (RMN), which manages the Grand Palais, aims to become a key player in the emerging digital exhibition market. Roei Amit, director of Grand Palais Immersif, told The Art Newspaper that the show will include a sensory environment, narrative projections, and many interactive experiences. The installation is structured around six components: the iconic status of the portrait, the 1911 theft and recovery of the masterpiece, the Mona Lisa's influence on other works, Leonardo's painting technique, and a section on the artist's life. Tickets cost about 17 euros, nearly the price to see the actual Mona Lisa, but less than the 36-dollar van Gogh immersive experience in New York. RMN previously produced the digital exhibition Eternal Sites at the Grand Palais in 2016, reconstructing UNESCO World Heritage monuments damaged by ISIS in Syria and Iraq. In 2020, they presented a Pompeii exhibition offering a panoramic view of the ancient city. Future immersive experiences are planned, including one dedicated to Art Nouveau artist Alphonse Mucha.