The world premiere of the most immersive art experience yet to be brought to life, Beyond Monet is now open to the public in Toronto. Set in the heart of the city at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre’s North Hall on Front Street, this remarkable experience allows audiences to embark on a poetic and engaging journey through the work of the leading figure of Impressionism, Claude Monet. An unprecedented 360 degrees of cinematic imagery fills the space from the floors up onto the ceiling, for the first time ever, inviting guests to explore a mesmerizing world of paintings from every angle —filled with a dynamic original score and sound along with stunning lighting.

Inspired by the exhilarating freedom ingrained in Monet’s work, this exhibit breathes new life into well-known and recognizable masterpieces. More than 400 paintings are animated and brought to larger-than-life scale, surrounding guests in an atmosphere steeped in beauty. Stepping into “Beyond Monet” is witnessing some of the most iconic works—including the Water Lilies series, Impression: Sunrise and Poppies—and joining Monet in his quest to capture and illuminate the ephemeral and the magical variations of light.

SNAPSHOT REVIEW

Kudos for the organizers for pulling this off during a pandemic. It’s definitely more geared toward true Monet fans, but newbies to his work should be impressed as well. The exhibit is divided into two rooms, the first more a historical dialogue on the famed artist, which is akin to being in a library, but once you enter the second larger room is when the full 360 sound and visual immersive experience begins. The entire program runs around 30-40 minutes, and it’s quite astounding to see an entire lifetime of work rotate around you in that short period of time. There’s a rotunda in the middle and various pods throughout for seating, which is the best way to take all of this in.

Covering over 50,000 square feet within the MTCC, more than 100 million pixels will be used in the experience, making it the largest immersive exhibit in the country. It was cleverly designed by the ingenious team at Normal Studios who are known for breaking digital boundaries and wowing audiences around the world.

Ticket prices start at $39.99 for adults and $29.99 for children. Tickets are available at www.monettoronto.com.

For every ticket that is purchased, one dollar will go towards the Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) Fellowship, to help magnify the creative vision and voices of the BIPOC community.

About the Author

Bryen Dunn is a freelance journalist with a focus on travel, lifestyle, entertainment and hospitality. He has an extensive portfolio of celebrity interviews with musicians, actors and other public personalities. He enjoys discovering delicious eats, tasting spirited treats, and being mesmerized by musical beats.