It’s no secret that Londoners love an immersive event. And if the sheer number of galleries and museums around the city demonstrate anything, it’s that we’re also a cultured lot with a love of paintings and art. So it only makes sense that the two would go together like fish and chips, afternoon tea and scones, or, you know, other things that go well together. And that’s where Frameless comes in. It’s the first permanent immersive art experience of its type, and it’s simply stunning.
From the minds behind London 2012’s Olympic Opening Ceremony, Frameless brings the work of world-famous artists to a new digital generation. Bespoke music accompanies multisensory and immersive experiences that take attendees right inside the world’s most beautiful works of art. Step right onto the easel and into the paintings of works from the likes of Cezanne, Kandinsky, Canaletto, Rembrandt, and many more.
Drawing from the success of experiences such as L’Atelier des Lumières in Paris, and Borderless in Tokyo, Frameless wants to change the way people experience art. They want people who may not necessarily go to a gallery or a museum to still feel the power of the artworks. In doing so, they’re bringing the paintings to a whole new audience.
Inside Frameless
Frameless encompasses over 30,000 square feet of space, across four permanent galleries with unique ways of interacting with the artworks. A fifth gallery houses rotating exhibitions that change monthly. Each of the permanent galleries focuses on a different theme or aspect of the artworks on display. This could be the colours of the paintings, the dreamy universes of the works, or their abstract nature. Visitors may touch and feel the brushstrokes themselves, or become surrounded by the vastness of a painting’s landscape.
Oh, and need we even bother to mention how incredible the photos are that you’re going to get from the experience? Added to this, you can impress your friends by (almost definitely) being able to name each work and artist. With 42 different masterpieces to explore from legends of the art world, it’s like a ‘best of’ compilation. But for art.
You could lose yourself in The Garden of Earthly Delights by Hieronymus Bosch, or explore Canaletto’s Piazza Di San Marco. And all the while you’ll be entranced by the specially-composed music that accompanies the attraction.
The fifth gallery
So, what about this mysterious other gallery? The ‘Blank Canvas’ gallery plays host to a rotating series of presentations and immersive experiences. Currently, it houses an immersive new exhibition that allows guests to wander under and among the Northern Lights. Entitled ‘Illuminating the Arctic Night’, the exhibition explores the work of Scandinavian artist and musician Lela Amparo.
The beauty of the luminary spectacle is contrasted against the harsh cold conditions of arctic winters. Huge walls encompass the viewer in stark wintry vistas, and gorgeous swirling lights, while audio plays from a recording that was taken in a snowy, remote Norwegian village.
But the space also plays host to private events, with the whole venue, or just the fifth gallery itself, available to book out. Previous exhibitions within ‘Blank Canvas’ have included those highlighting the works of Lewis Osborne, Maliha Abidi, and more.
Beyond the artwork
Outside of the galleries themselves, Frameless has a gift shop and a café bar with a menu that changes throughout the day. Grab a coffee in the morning, or the themed picnic hamper for lunch, or perhaps even some cocktails in the evening. Ooh, we love a versatile bar!
Frameless can be found right around the corner from Marble Arch station. Open seven days a week, be sure to head to their website to secure yourself a ticket. Ticket prices vary depending on the day, and when you want to visit.
