Half-term is here and London has plenty of fun activities to keep the whole family entertained from now through spring. This February, we’re spotlighting the capital’s first permanent digital immersive arts experience, Frameless London.
Redefining the concept of immersive art spaces, Frameless brings 43 masterpieces to life, surrounding you floor-to-ceiling like you’ve never seen before. It’s an experience neither you, nor your kids, will ever forget. CF’s PR Director, Alexandra Carello, visited with her two children. Here’s what to expect.
What is the Frameless Immersive Art Experience?
Frameless is a brand new, immersive, multi-dimensional and culturally rich art experience housed within an incredible 30,000 square foot purpose-designed location at Marble Arch. Make your way around its four rooms, each offering an enormous virtual gallery that allows you to step inside some of the most iconic paintings in the world. This larger-than-life art is quite literally ‘frameless’ – it extends beyond even walls, covering ceilings and floors, too. As you enter each room you’ll find your senses overloaded by the impressive art, each piece encouraging you to explore the details within, and allowing you to see well-known paintings in a completely unique way.
Here, art comes alive; each of the four galleries explore different artistic genres and all are equally as mesmerising. Beyond Reality takes you inside the distorted and dystopian worlds of Surrealism, Symbolism and Post-Impressionist through the artwork of Dali, Klimt, Hieronymus Bosch and Edward Munch, while The Art of Abstraction room appears as a maze painted with the works of Wassily Kandinsky and Piet Mondrian. Stand under Monet’s Waterlily Pond bridge in the Colour in Motion experience and discover the beauty of our world via the sea and cityscapes depicted in The World Around Us.
Who is Frameless for?
Anyone and everyone. Frameless is wonderful for all ages; my 16 month old, my four year old and I all enjoyed it in different ways. This is a great family day out: children will be in complete awe at the impressive rooms flooded with art, while parents will likely find they want to return alone at a later date – to really take it all in.
The Highlights
All the rooms are special, but the best experience for children is the Colour in Motion room. Encounter the brushstrokes that make up Van Gogh’s Self-Portrait and Starry Night, Monet’s The Waterlily Pond or Morisot’s The Garden at Bougival in the most fascinating way. This room focuses on Impressionism and Neo and Post Impressionism artists. The entire family will be entranced as they watch the strokes fly off the walls and on to the floors. Advanced motion-tracking technology allows you to play and interact with the brushstrokes; we loved jumping on them and kicking them away like you would with leaves on the ground. The entire exhibition is awe-inspiring and moving, but my personal favourite was The World Around Us room where you are immersed in scenes from Joseph Wright of Derby’s Vesuvius in Eruption or Canaletto’s Piazza San Marco.
What To Pack
You don’t need to bring much; the essential is clothes your children can run around in to easily explore the rooms. You will see many people sitting or lying on the floor, a great way to take in the wall-to-floor visuals. There is also a small, on-site café so you don’t need to pack lots of supplies. The space has good baby and pram facilities too, making it a very family-friendly experience.
Where is Frameless?
Frameless is situated in the heart of Marble Arch (6 Marble Arch, London, W1H 7AP). After we emerged from the exhibition into daylight, we took a stroll around Hyde Park before walking into Mayfair for a child friendly lunch at 34 Mayfair.
Any Questions or Tips to add?