Ever had the chance to visit Louvre in Paris or MoMA in New York? While there’s nothing quite like seeing works of art in the flesh, it’s not always possible. Not only are geographic barriers holding some people back, but tickets to exhibitions can be near impossible for the average art lover to get their hands on.
The recent Leonardo da Vinci exhibition at London’s National Gallery was one of these shows. Only a couple of hundred thousand people got to personally experience the Renaissance master’s work over the exhibition’s three month run – but all is not lost. Now audiences around the world can experience the magic of Leonardo’s work by simply heading along to their local movie theatre. The documentary of the exhibition, Leonardo Live, has screened in nearly 1,000 cinemas globally, letting everyday art lovers look behind the scenes, tour the gallery and of course, see the art.
While the big-screen exhibition will never replace the gallery, I’m in love with the idea. It normalizes the experience – few people have attended an exhibition in a world-class gallery, but most have bought a movie ticket!
