AUSTIN, Texas — The works of two of the most well-known painters in history are being reimagined at the old Austin American-Statesman building.
Masterpieces from Vincent van Gogh and Claude Monet are coming to life in immersive art exhibits called "Beyond Van Gogh and Beyond Monet," which kicked off Friday, May 31.
Visitors can expect to see some of the two’s most famous pieces—such as Van Gogh’s “The Starry Night” and Monet’s “Water Lilies”—projected all around, showcasing hundreds of each of the artists’ works.
While the Beyond Monet experience makes its first trip to Austin, the Beyond Van Gogh event was previously held at the Circuit of The Americas back in 2021.
“While other shows use virtual reality or still images, our show breaks barriers by incorporating both still and moving art,” Beyond Exhibitions’ website says. “Masterpieces, now freed from frames, come alive, appear, and disappear, flow across multi-surfaces, the minutia of details titillating our heightened senses.”
For the Van Gogh exhibit, an add-on is also being offered called "Beyond Van Gogh: A Life in Letters VR Experience." Through virtual reality, visitors can hear Van Gogh’s letters to his brother, where he talks about his emotional turmoil and artistic process, while looking at sketches and paintings of the French countryside.
Each experience lasts about an hour, and both of them will be in Austin from May 31 through Sept. 13, 2024 at the former Austin American-Statesman building at 305 South Congress Ave.
The venue of these exhibits has seen a lot of controversy in recent years, after the local newspaper left the building in 2021. Since then, there has been a lot of debate about the redevelopment of the riverfront property.
Austin City Council approved a planned unit development of the former Statesman site back in December 2022, but it has faced legal challenges. The Save Our Springs Alliance sued the city last week saying it violated state and local laws when approving the development.
Save Our Springs also sued and won in a different lawsuit against the city, after a Travis County judge ruled last month that the city could not redirect property tax dollars to fund infrastructure projects around the waterfront area.
For now, at least until mid-September, the building will house the art experiences created by creative director Mathieu St-Arnaud and Montreal’s Normal Studio.
Tickets for the experiences are on sale now for timed entry, and the exhibition is open Tuesday-Sunday, starting at 10 a.m. Basic tickets for each exhibit start at $29.99 for adults and $19.99 for children ages 5-15. Children under 4 get in free. A discounted combo ticket option is available for adults starting at $49.99 and for children starting at $29.99.
Beyond Exhibitions’ website has a list of its full hours of operation and ticket options.