Attracting millions of visitors, the Beyond Van Gogh and Beyond Monet: The Immersive Experience is bringing its stunning combination of art and storytelling back to Charleston, South Carolina. While visitors are captivated by the breathtaking visuals, Fanny Curtat helps the audience see these masterpieces in a new and unique way as the art historian for this event.
A New Way to Experience Art
The Beyond Van Gogh and Beyond Monet offers a unique way to bring the incredible works of Van Gogh and Monet to life. The exhibit serves as a modern tribute to the legacies of two of history’s most celebrated artists. Visitors can step into these larger-than-life artworks that span floors and walls. This exhibit adds a whole new dimension to the experience of engaging with these masterpieces, showcasing hundreds of remarkable artworks and providing an unforgettable experience for everyone to enjoy.
The Eyes of the Art: Fanny Curtat
Fanny Curtat has been the art historian for Beyond Van Gogh, which was created in 2020, and now for Beyond Van Gogh and Beyond Monet, which is currently touring the U.S. She has been the eyes behind the pieces visitors get to see and experience. Bringing these unique and exceptional pieces to life takes work and knowledge.
When she first started working on Beyond Van Gogh during the COVID-19 pandemic, the goal was to create an experience that everyone could enjoy and that would push the boundaries of a traditional art museum. As they undertook such a large project, several important questions arose: Which artworks should be selected? In what order should they be presented? What information needs to be provided?
In an interview, Fanny Curtat expressed her reasons for joining the project, stating that they aimed to be respectful of the original works. She said, “They wanted to treat these images with respect, not changing the colors or altering the composition too much, so that the essence of the art is not lost.”
The Exhibit Experience
This experience brings a wide range of emotions and thoughts — it transcends a traditional art museum. Fanny Curtat highlighted this by stating that “this is a completely different experience. For example, you can’t reproduce the aura of an original work when you stand in front of an original Van Gogh or an original Monet. There’s something about the uniqueness of it, the aura of the art world, the artwork itself. You can’t reproduce it, but this magic can be transferable to the effect of the magic of being able to walk through the frame and being inside the painting itself.”
Museums can often be intimidating or difficult to understand for those who aren’t familiar with the art world. “There’s always a part of art that I want to insist on — you don’t need knowledge. There is this misconception that people feel like they need to have read 100 books to be able to appreciate a museum or an exhibit. And so they sort of stay away from it because they sort of feel they don’t have the knowledge for it, the tools,” stated Curtat. “You can always appreciate an image and react to it because the certain blue reminds you of something very personal to you, and it’s part of the painting, and it resonates with you in a way.”
People come together for this incredible traveling art exhibit to experience fascinating colors, art and joy. Everyone is allowed and encouraged to enjoy all parts of this experience.
Beyond Van Gogh and Beyond Monet is bringing all types of people together. Fanny Curtat expressed that “it’s actually pretty rare to have a project where the whole family can come from: grandparents, parents, teenagers, kids, toddlers, babies — everybody will find something in this experience and you don’t have a lot of that.” Being able to share moments and experiences like these is extraordinary. Allowing yourself to be in the moment and experience the amazing art, the creativity and the atmosphere with everyone around you is special.
Touring the Nation
Beyond Van Gogh and Beyond Monet have already visited major cities across North America, with new and returning stops. One of their upcoming stops on the U.S. tour includes Charleston, where the exhibit will open at Festival Hall on July 11, 2025, and will run through Aug. 31. Each venue is transformed into this new canvas, creating an intimate and stunning atmosphere that makes visitors feel like they’ve stepped into the art. Whether you are a lifelong art lover or simply looking for a memorable and unique experience, this touring exhibit is a chance to rediscover two of history’s greatest painters in such a unique and special way.
By Taylor Heyl