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Radio France Internationale
Radio France Internationale
Lifestyle

How a digital artist is bringing Cezanne's colorful universe to life

"Cezanne, Lumières de Provence" runs until 2 January 2023 at Atelier des Lumières in Paris. © Culturespaces/Eric Spiller

Gianfranco Iannuzzi has been developing digital exhibitions in France and around the world for thirty years. This year, and for the fifth time, he has worked with the Atelier des Lumières in Paris for the 'Cezanne, Lumières de provence' exhibition.

"We started to collect thousands of images and then we selected the ones we used for our story. Because we need to tell a story to the people," Gianfranco Iannuzzi told RFI.

In the 1,500m2 space of the Atelier des Lumières, a 35 minutes video 'loop' is projected onto huge screens using 3D simulation to immerse the visitor into French painter Cezanne’s work: still life with apples, the Saint-Victoire mountain and portraits.

Montagne Sainte-Victoire at "Cezanne, Lumières de Provences" exhibition.
Montagne Sainte-Victoire at "Cezanne, Lumières de Provences" exhibition. © Culturespace/Eric Spiller
Portraits by Cezanne.
Portraits by Cezanne. © Culturespaces/Eric Spiller

40 projectors, hundred of images, ambient sounds and music from Django Reinhardt to Rameau were used to provide the 'spectator' a sensory experience.

Immersive and collective experience

"Today we speak a lot about metaverse. But here we are in the real world. The people physically come together and they begin to be actors of the show [...] This is part of the experience, " says the 75-year-old Italian digital artist.

Cezanne's apples.
Cezanne's apples. © Culturespaces/Eric Spiller

A pioneering creator of immersive artistic installations for thirty years, Gianfranco Iannuzzi has been contributing in developing this new form of expression and exhibition.

"The work of the director of immersive experience is to follow, to live the feeling of the painter. What he thinks, what he does when he paints. For example, we use all the touch of the painting and we put it on the wall like he does on the canvas, just to show the way he uses the color.

The goal is to create an emotional environment which is also interactive," explains Iannuzzi.

Cezanne, Lumières de Provence runs until 2 January 2023 at Atelier des Lumières in Paris.

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