On July 3rd, THE LUME Newfields Indianapolis reopens featuring the works of eight impressionist artists. The works of Claude Monet, Édouard Manet, Camille Pissarro, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Armand Guillaumin, Paul Cézanne, Edgar Degas and Mary Cassatt are compiled into one exhibit to depict “everyday life”, as well as working outdoors. On the walls of THE LUME, the works of impressionist painters come alive.

Ari Mambo, head of the culinary department and mixologist at THE LUME, expresses the exhibit’s influence on the local community.

 “I feel like it has a lot more room for local artists and people that you haven’t heard of to be able to have a voice,” Mambo said.

In its last exhibit, THE LUME showcased the works of Dutch impressionist Vincent Van Gogh, and many have returned expecting a similar quality of art to the legendary artist. Kimberly, a frequent visitor to the Newfields Museum, expresses the feelings that the exhibit kindled.

“I love Monet and I love the whole immersive vibe,” Kimberly said.  

The exhibit is located on the fourth floor of the museum, and each wall is covered with projections of the famous impressionist works. Occasionally, the paintings are animated to highlight important details in the painting, and classical songs from artists such as Claude Debussy, Pietro Mascagni, Maurice Ravel and Edvard Grieg are played to complement the pieces.

En Plein Air (working outdoors) is one of the key movements of the showcase. During this movement, Monet painted a series of water lilies, and focused on “catching the fleeting qualities of light”. The water lilies, considered Monet’s finest works, were projected onto every wall, with animated leaves gliding through the air, while another set of projectors bathed the floor with the light greens and blues of algae, submerging the viewer in the painting. 

Additionally to the exhibit, a Parisian cafe is found on the same floor. Ari Mambo discusses the variety of original concepts that the Monet exhibit embraces. 

“We try to use as many local people as possible. It’s a lot of room to give people, you know, kind of like their first chance to get out there into the world for everyone to see,” Mambo said. 

Tickets can be found on the Newfields website from July 3rd until May 2023.