Walk in the Water Lilies

Monet and Impressionists to dazzle art lovers in Houston's newest immersive exhibition

Immersive Monet & The Impressionists comes to Lighthouse ArtSpace Houston on June 24.

Photo by Patrick Hodgon

Lighthouse Immersive and Impact Museums, who were behind the hit Immersive Van Gogh and Immersive Frida Kahlo experiences, are shifting their focus to the Impressionist Movement of the late 19th century with Immersive Monet & The Impressionists, set to open in Houston on June 24 at Lighthouse ArtSpace Houston (1314 Britmoore Rd.).

The exhibition will be an exploration of the radical artists that shook up the art world in an attempt to capture both the transient nature of beauty, and the timeless beauty of nature, according to a release. State-of-the-art video mapping and animation will bring the art of the Impressionists to life like never before in what is slated to be the largest immersive art experience in the country, organizers say.

The exhibition will consist of 500,000 cubic feet of projections composed of over 1.2 million frames, bathing viewers in the brushstrokes and colors of Claude Monet, Auguste Renoir, Edgar Degas, Mary Cassatt, and more. In addition to Impressionism, the program also features other artists who birthed movements that nudged the art world into the 20th century, including the marine paintings of J.M.W. Turner and the Post-Impressionist works of Toulouse-Lautrec.

Impressionism found its origins in 1874 when The Anonymous Society was founded by Claude Monet — along with Edgar Degas and Camille Pissarro, among others — as a rejection of the traditional norms strongly enforced by the Salon since the 17th century. “Impressionist” was originally a derogatory term used to ridicule impressionists for the rushed, unfinished look of their paintings, but they came to wear the label with pride.

"Claude Monet and his peers are inspirational figures in art history and natural choices for an immersive experience," Corey Ross, producer of Immersive Monet & The Impressionists and founder of Lighthouse Immersive, said in a statement. "The spontaneity of Impressionism is expressed in movement and color, two mediums that our state-of-the-art projection systems present quite well."

Tickets, which begin at $29.99, will go on pre-sale on Tuesday, May 10 at immersivemonet.com for viewings at Lighthouse ArtSpace Houston from June 24 through August 14, 2022. The ticketing site features a 20 percent off discount offer for VIP and premium level tickets with the code “EARLYBIRD.”

The public sale will start on Thursday, May 12.

galleries

appropriate attire required

RodeoHouston announces new dress code for attendees

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo carnival

Courtesy of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo

It's the third time HLSR has received the award.

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo has updated its dress code to emphasize the family-friendly nature of the event. Released Monday, March 16, the changes to the rodeo’s “guest code of conduct” read as follows:

HLSR reserves the right to deny admission to or remove any person wearing attire that is considered inappropriate or attire that could detract from the experience of other guests. Clothing that is not appropriate for the HLSR show grounds includes, but is not limited to, clothing with objectionable material (including obscene language or graphics), excessively torn cloth, visible undergarments, and/or clothing which, by nature, exposes excessive portions of the skin that may be viewed as inappropriate for a family environment.

In addition, a separate policy states: “No clothing or apparel that intentionally obscures the face is permitted unless worn for cultural or religious reasons or a medical condition.”

At this time, it is not clear how HLSR will enforce the policy. All visitors agree to observe the code of conduct when they purchase tickets online. It is also posted at various places through the rodeo grounds, including at ticket booths and other stations on the property.

Rodeo representatives have yet to respond to CultureMap’s request for comment on the reasons behind the new policy. However, it may be due to social media posts over the past few days showing people in the sort of attire that’s just been banned.

In a viral Instagram post that’s drawn more than 200,000 views and 22,000 likes, local photographer Desmun Dangerfield summarized the problem succinctly. “Excuse my language, but I should not see your whole ass out at the Houston rodeo.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Desmun Dangerfield (@dangerfieldmedia)

Community reaction has been largely in support of the new policy. Erica Harrison, who comments on current events on her Black Girls Who Brunch social media account, supported the rodeo’s decision. “Houstonians of all backgrounds, including Black people, were calling for a dress code,” she said in a post published after the changes were announced Monday night.

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo runs through this Sunday, March 22. Texas-born country singer Cody Johnson will close out the event with a concert-only performance on Sunday.

houston livestock show and rodeo