NY Opens Immersive Digital Art Show

New York is hosting an immersive digital art exhibit with works by Gustav Klimt and others TIMOTHY A. CLARY AFP
New York is hosting an immersive digital art exhibit with works by Gustav Klimt and others TIMOTHY A. CLARY AFP
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NY Opens Immersive Digital Art Show

New York is hosting an immersive digital art exhibit with works by Gustav Klimt and others TIMOTHY A. CLARY AFP
New York is hosting an immersive digital art exhibit with works by Gustav Klimt and others TIMOTHY A. CLARY AFP

Art lovers in New York can now enjoy an immersive digital experience with works by Gustav Klimt projected onto the walls and floors of a building that used to be a bank.

The goal, its creators say, is to bring young people and others into a 21st-century museum.

The exhibit, called "Hall des Lumières," opens Wednesday in Manhattan's Tribeca neighborhood.

It follows similar shows called "Atelier des Lumières" in Paris and "Infinity des Lumières" in Dubai.

The shows are the work of a French company called Culturespaces, which is partnering in New York with events company IMG.

Culturespaces boss Bruno Monnier said these digital art shows around the world cater to youths and anybody else who does not go to traditional venues like the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

This nine-month show features works by Klimt and another Austrian, Friedensreich Hundertwasser.

Classical and electronic music plays as their works are projected onto every conceivable surface inside the Emigrant Industrial Savings Bank, an early 20th-century building in the Beaux-Arts style.

"I do think it’s a fantastic way to introduce people to art and I think they are very complementary to great museums and art galleries of New York and in many cities around the world," said Stephen Flint Wood, Managing Director of IMG.

"You can come here in this atmosphere and be completely immersed and then go to museums and art galleries to see some paintings for yourself," he told AFP.



Aroya Cruises Launches First Voyage in the Mediterranean

The ship features world-class facilities and services. SPA
The ship features world-class facilities and services. SPA
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Aroya Cruises Launches First Voyage in the Mediterranean

The ship features world-class facilities and services. SPA
The ship features world-class facilities and services. SPA

Aroya Cruises, a subsidiary of Cruise Saudi and fully owned by the Public Investment Fund, has announced the launch of its inaugural Mediterranean voyage on June 28, offering guests a fully integrated tourism experience inspired by authentic Arab hospitality, across some of the world’s most prominent cruise destinations.

The AROYA, the cruise line’s flagship vessel, set sail from its Mediterranean homeport at Galataport in Istanbul on a seven-night journey visiting key destinations including Athens, Souda Bay, and Mykonos in Greece, followed by Bodrum in Türkiye, before returning to Istanbul on July 5.

Building on the success of its inaugural Red Sea season, Aroya Cruises will continue operating Mediterranean voyages through mid-September 2025, offering diverse itineraries ranging from six to seven nights. Destinations include Marmaris, Rhodes, Alexandria, and several other prominent coastal cities in Türkiye, Greece, and Egypt.

The ship features world-class facilities and services, including a main pool area, a theater with daily entertainment, and a wellness center offering therapeutic treatments, spa services, a beauty clinic, and a fitness club.

Guests can also enjoy a wide range of activities tailored for all family members, such as an adventure zone, sports complex, water park, and one of the largest kids’ areas aboard any cruise ship. Culinary offerings include 12 restaurants and 17 cafés, serving a curated mix of Saudi and international cuisines.

President of Aroya Cruises Dr. Joerg Rudolph expressed pride in the company’s first Mediterranean voyage, noting that this milestone comes just six months after the launch of its cruise operations.

He emphasized that the cruise line’s expansion into top European destinations aligns with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goals to support tourism sector growth.