Dreamscapes Travel & Lifestyle

DREAMSCAPES WINTER/SPRING 2022 38 T R A V E L S L E U T H The Gallery Guide WHAT'S ON! The personal ties we make peering at great art are immeasur- able. In the absence of visiting the real deal during these unchartered times, arts-deprived folks have found an alterna- tive path, turning to the internet for inspiration. Some art seekers have gone even further by clicking on videos, antici- pating a eureka moment of inspiration, as other art-starved patrons suss out poignant paintings online in collections once frequented en masse at beloved institutions. // BY ILONA KAUREMSZKY ARTFUL WELLNESS The healing properties in seeing art have even shifted into a new genre known as restorative travel. It's when your endorphins get a charge. Virtual museum visits undoubtedly have seen an uptick in these pandemic times. It's anyone's guess the number of times people have peered at Mona Lisa's smile. If you haven't seen the world's most famous painting, head to the Salle des États in Room 711, Denon Wing, Level 1 at the Louvre Museum in Paris. Or even easier, view louvre.fr/en/explore/the-palace/from-the-mona-lisa-to-the- wedding-feast-at-cana As one insider explains, art therapy is a great way to help manage stress and overall mental well-being. "The interpretation of art sub- consciously helps to open the mind to process behaviours and feelings, which can be very impactful in reducing stress and anx- iety," says Rebecca Platt, Corporate Director of Sales and Marketing at BodyHoliday, a luxury wellness resort situated by a secluded cove amid white sand and blue sea in St. Lucia. "When we're worried about the physical health of those we love, looking at art, even on a screen, can be an escape and a mental breather," adds Hillary Brown, Director of Communications at the Georgia Museum of Art, an art museum in Athens, Georgia that has been show- casing online exhibitions. georgiamuseum.org/category/online-exhibit/ POP CULTURE BOOST As you're waiting to re-enter the world of travel consider these two destinations for a pop culture jolt. In Tinseltown, America, cinefiles can immerse in movies at the new Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, which opened this past fall. The grandiose cinema vault in Los Angeles draws on the unique resources of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Inside the nearly 30,000-square-metre film fortress, located near the favourite celebrity hangout, The Grove, there are permanent and temporary exhibitions, plus a multisensory simulation that let visitors re-enact the famous Oscars night with their own Academy Award ceremony. academymuseum.org/en For Jeff Koons fans, a visit to Qatar this winter or early spring will offer a look at the whimsical renditions from the '80s contempo- rary artist whose work is being celebrated at the Qatar Museums Gallery—Al Riwaq in Doha. Jeff Koons: Lost in America is the artist's first exhibi- tion in the Gulf region, and yes, there's a Mona Lisa tribute being featured in his piece called, Gazing Ball (2016). qm.org.qa/en/visit/museums- and-galleries/al-riwaq/ PHOTOS: CINDY ORD/GETTY IMAGES FOR QATAR MUSEUMS | DANIEL THIERRY/PARIS TOURIST OFFICE | ART CANADA INSTITUTE | MARC CRAMER

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