Newfields confirmed Feb. 27 that it will close the Lume, the cinema-like digital gallery on the fourth floor of the Indianapolis Museum of Art, the following day.
The announcement, first reported by the Indianapolis Business Journal, comes as the current experience, “Connection: Land, Water, Sky — Art & Music from Indigenous Australians,” was scheduled to end. The museum usually announces its new Lume iterations in the spring; this year, it has not yet shared details of what’s to come for the fourth floor.
“This transition allows us to make room for a new monumental exhibition that will further advance the Indianapolis Museum of Art’s contemporary art vision and expand how audiences experience art at Newfields,” said Mattie Wethington, Newfields’ director of marketing and communications, in an emailed statement.
Newfields opened the Lume in 2021, showcasing an immersive installation with nearly 150 projectors that emblazoned details of Vincent van Gogh’s paintings across almost 30,000 square feet.
The experience delighted many but also upset some, who expressed frustration that longtime contemporary art favorites were moved from the fourth floor. Since then, Newfields has integrated several contemporary pieces throughout the galleries and opened the exhibit “The Message is the Medium,” which has brought back more favorites.
Over the past five years, Newfields worked with Grande Experiences to showcase several themes in the Lume, including the work of Salvador Dalí, Claude Monet and Impressionists, and, most recently, “Connection: Land, Water, Sky — Art & Music from Indigenous Australians.”
Newfields will hold a farewell event, “A Nightcap in the Lume: A Culinary Tour Through France, Spain, and Australia” to celebrate the digital gallery’s five years at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 28. The event will include culinary offerings from the Lume’s previous iterations. Tickets are $85 for the public and $75 for members.
This Indy newsletter has the best shows, art and eats
Contact IndyStar reporter Domenica Bongiovanni at 317-444-7339 or d.bongiovanni@indystar.com. Sign up here for the newsletter she curates about things to do and ways to explore Indianapolis. Find her on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter: @domenicareports.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Newfields is closing the Lume after a five-year run
