For the first time in the United States, Eclipso Entertainment launched a virtual reality (VR) exhibit commemorating 150 years since the first Impressionist exhibition in Paris. Organized in Eclipso’s temporary space at Illuminarium Atlanta, “Tonight with the Impressionists” was opened to the public on Sept. 17. This is the France-based VR company’s second offering in Atlanta, following on from the success of “Horizon of Khufu” launched in April 2024.
The 45-minute long experience takes guests back to 1874, when a group of French artists rejected by the prestigious Parisian Salon organized their own exhibition in photographer Nadar’s studio. Derided by a critic as the “Exhibition of the Impressionists,” the event marked a bold response to rigidity in Parisian art. It gave birth to what became known as the Impressionist style, characterized by loose brush strokes and a preference for depicting nature as observed.
At the start of the experience, staff help guests with their headsets and acquaint them with the VR environment. Blue, orange and red zones define the limits of the physical space. While some parts can initially feel disconcerting to those new to VR such as reading text hovering in a three-dimensional space and being unable to see one’s hands and feet, they became relatively insignificant concerns within minutes.
Once ready, guests are plunged into the cobblestoned paths near Nadar’s studio in Paris. Horse-drawn carriages and gas-lamp clusters at the elegant Place de l’Opéra help set the scene. A guide character named Rose serves both as a narrator and a navigator through the VR environment. Rose guides guests to the site of the exhibition, allowing them to absorb the environment and introducing them to Impressionist painters in sequence.
After their introductions, the painters launch into monologues about their experiences as Impressionist painters and occasionally transport guests into rooms where they highlight the significance of particular works. Guests are introduced to Edgar Degas’s “Une Blanchisseuse,” Berthe Morisot’s “The Cradle” and Camille Pissarro’s “Hoarfrost” in this fashion. When in the exhibition setting, guests are free to walk around and look at artwork of their choice, even if it is not the subject of conversation or narration.
The experience also includes outdoor scenes where Impressionist painters are spotted painting in the sunlight and depicting natural subjects. Rose’s conversations with the artists throughout the experience expose guests to prevalent artistic and cultural norms of the time period. Dramatic sequences, such as Pierre-Auguste Renoir learning about his rejection from the Salon and Paul Cézanne declaring he would submit a “jar of s—” to the exclusive exhibition, support the narration in explaining the frustration that drove the Impressionists to start their own exhibition.
As per Eclipso, over two years of research and collaboration with Excurio Immersive
Expeditions, GEDEON Experiences, and the Musée d’Orsay went into creating the entire experience. The idea was put forth by the team at GEDEON, in time for the 150th anniversary of the first Impressionist exhibition. Created and launched in France, the experience was then brought to Atlanta to lend diversity to Eclipso’s offerings.
“We are trying to combine culture with technology and innovation. Students learn in different ways. Some are visual, some are tactile learners, and VR experiences engage with all of them. These experiences give them different perspectives and are thought provoking,” said Jennifer Berghs, general manager of Eclipso Atlanta.
Aside from the conversational script, smooth animations and binaural audio make the experience feel rather realistic. The sounds of glasses clinking as the Impressionists raise a toast, of horse hooves on the street below a balcony and of water splashing onto a platform are designed well enough to elicit physical reactions from guests. The visual consistency of complex elements such as fireworks through a window, weather phenomena like sunlight and rain and the relative positioning of buildings in the scene contribute to a suspension of disbelief.
“People feel fully immersed and forget they are in an experience. One of our visitors, who had recently been to Egypt, came out of the Khufu experience in tears. She said she had been to the pyramids and what she saw was exactly like them,” Berghs said.
Although Eclipso merely has a one-year lease at their 11,000 square foot space at Illuminarium Atlanta, the company’s VR offerings are not a temporary experience and will be in Atlanta permanently. Berghs explained what made a venue suitable for VR experiences.
“We are looking for an open space, like a warehouse, without many pillars or corners. Space is important so that more people can take part simultaneously. We also need to ensure people with mobility issues aren’t walking too huge a distance. Some of our spaces in Europe are about half the size of our current space, which we are able to manage with,” Berghs said.
While Berghs felt VR was a growing market with a lot to explore, she felt that Eclipso had no immediate competitors within the field of immersive cultural experiences.
“I’ve seen a number of other experiences, and have always felt there’s something that we do better. Sometimes there’s not enough guidance, unlike our narration via a guide, so it’s unclear what to do. Other times, with VR games, you’re restricted to a lobby with a limited ability to move around. We also explore culture in unique ways — in the Khufu experience, you get to stand on top of a pyramid. Even people who are mobility impaired can experience these things, at any time of day or in any season,” Berghs said.
Aside from the technical challenges involved with VR experiences, Berghs highlighted the number of different costs involved that made it difficult for competitors to enter the space. She mentioned royalties and distribution costs, alongside more local costs such as building costs, insurance and equipment costs. Although unable to specify a ballpark figure, Berghs estimated that costs for a new VR experience center could be “in the millions.”
Eclipso already has plans to follow up “Tonight with the Impressionists” with their latest experience titled “Life Chronicles,” which traces the evolution of life and brings guests face-to-face with microorganisms and dinosaurs. For more information including student discounts, visit eclipso-entertainment.com.