Bordeaux, France has an eye-popping new attraction, Les Bassins de Lumières, said to be the world’s largest digital arts center. The huge gallery, occupying the cavernous spaces of a former World War II submarine base, opened Wednesday after a pandemic-caused seven-week delay.
Even as France relaxes lockdown rules, the facility is following strict rules: tickets in advance, temperature checks at the door, required masks and hand sanitizer. The director, Augustin de Cointet, points out that with 3,000m2 each visitor will have about 5m2 apiece.
“everyone has at least five square metres of individual space”, says director Augustin de Cointet. “The rules are there, but discreet, as we want everyone to enjoy the full experience.” The venue is operated by Culturespaces, a company that also has digital art galleries in Paris and Les-Baux-de-Provence.
The opening show, with four 110-metre-long rooms showing images of paintings by Gustav Klimt that were previously displayed at the other galleries. They were redesigned for this space, which is five times the size of the Paris space and three times the one in Provence—and it has water reflections in the spaces that were once home to submarines.
