We have fond memories of past efforts to combine VR content with real-world locations, but we thought the pandemic had put an end to those ambitions. I figured that if I wanted VR in 2024, I’d have to buy a headset, and that it would be a largely solitary experience at home or in the office, rather than shared with a crowd in a converted retail space.
But a new immersive experience proved me wrong.
Created by French startup Excurio in collaboration with the Musee d’Orsay and another startup, Eclipso, “Tonight With The Impressionists, Paris 1874” takes visitors back to 19th-century Paris and celebrates the 150th anniversary of the first Impressionist art exhibition. Travel through the city streets to the exhibition grounds and then to other key sites in Impressionist history.
‘Tonight with the Impressionists’ opened at the Eclipso Center in New York on Friday, following shows in France and Atlanta. (From what I understand, Eclipso provides a space for virtual reality experiences, while Excurio creates VR content.) Like other Excurio experiences, this one uses VR to make history and culture more accessible while also making history and culture more accessible. It also provides a showcase to showcase the company’s technology.
At a press event earlier this week, my partner and I joined a long line of people wearing VR headsets and entered a large, nondescript 11,000-square-foot white room that would be transformed into an apartment, gallery, lakeside retreat, and more.
Unlike The Void (my main reference point for these types of experiences), Excurio and Eclipso do not attempt to construct a physical space or provide props that correspond to a virtual experience. This means that the Eclipso center can host multiple experiences at the same time, but that can also lead to awkward moments, such as the virtual environment tilting upwards while the physical floor remains flat, or the Parisian sofa being blocked by a floating red X. , reminding us that if we try to sit down, we will eventually fall to the floor.
Despite the awkwardness, I felt like I was in Paris. It was like admiring classic paintings and having conversations with their artists. Perhaps the most breathtaking moment is Claude Monet together on the balcony. <인상, 일출>This will be the moment to draw. His work filled the horizon beyond the canvas.
Excurio highlights the fact that this experience doesn’t require you to wear a bulky VR backpack, just a headset, and allows for many participants at once. In fact, the company says it recently broke its record for simultaneous support of more than 100 people. Participants roam freely in the same space. Manage crowds by providing a specific narrative that guides them through the space. Because the start times are staggered, there is little risk of bumping into others.
In fact, our crowds were so dense that we often saw white silhouettes indicating the proximity of real people. We never ran into them, but it added a bit of traffic dodging stress to the experience. And in the end, the 45 minutes of “Tonight With The Impressionists” felt a bit long for relative VR novices like us. It was enough time to feel eye strain and discomfort from the equipment.
Still, I haven’t really experienced anything like it. It’s worth checking out for anyone interested in Impressionist art, and the creative and educational possibilities of VR are worth learning more about.
