By Helen Musa

Leonardo da Vinci – 500 Years of Genius, a huge immersive exhibition is coming to Canberra during the Enlighten Festival in a new outdoor setting and, it is said, some new content.

Brought to the ACT by Happen Group, Alter Place and Copper Live, and created by Grande Experiences in collaboration with the Museo Leonardo da Vinci in Rome, the large-scale projection exhibition will be installed at the former Federation Centenary Fountain site, adjacent to the Parkes Place lawns near Old Parliament House. 

Grande Experiences was the company behind Van Gogh Alive, which immersed visitors inside some of the world’s most recognisable paintings. 

When I catch up with Daniel “Macca” McFadyen, director of Happen Group, I learn that the very same approach has turned to Leonardo da Vinci, presenting masterpieces, including the Mona Lisa, in a way not possible within traditional museum walls.

McFadyen says the Canberra site was carefully chosen. Speaking from Melbourne, where he is based when not travelling for work, he recalls a recent trip through Canberra to inspect potential locations, guided by local collaborator and mate, Stu Thompson of events managers Copper Live. 

“We landed on the perfect spot,” he says, describing the former fountain site, recently “refreshed” by the National Capital Authority.

The fountain pools have been reimagined as garden beds, with the central area now functioning as a plaza. 

“There’s no water anymore,” McFadyen says, although the NCA officially says its long-term plan is to retain a water element. “It’s essentially a flat space now, with beautiful garden beds at either end, which makes it ideal for a temporary installation.” 

Two large, luxury marquee-style structures will be installed on the site, connected by an outdoor area incorporating a champagne bar and gift shop.

Inside, visitors will encounter Leonardo not only as a painter, but as an inventor, scientist, philosopher and musician. 

“Leonardo da Vinci was not just a painter, not just an inventor or an innovator,” McFadyen says. “He was all of those things, and this exhibition celebrates 500 years of that genius.”

The experience begins with displays of drawings and replicas of Leonardo’s inventions, including flying machines and early military designs, with interactive elements allowing visitors to explore how the ideas worked. 

“As you move through, it becomes very clear just how far ahead of his time Leonardo was,” McFadyen says.

From there, audiences enter the immersive projection space, where images surround visitors on all sides. Masterworks unfold at monumental scale, culminating in a focus on the world’s most famous portrait, Mona Lisa, La Gioconda. 

“And, yes,” McFadyen says, “there’s also the chance for people to grab a great photo with her, which younger audiences love.”

As for The Last Supper, McFadyen says that’s still under consideration, as its scale could be daunting, but he expects it will feature prominently in the projection component.

Seating will be available on a needs basis, but the exhibition has been designed primarily as a walk-through experience. 

“If we find people really want to sit and stay longer, we’ll adapt, 100 per cent,” McFadyen says, assuring me that seats are at the ready. 

Based on audience response to Van Gogh Alive and the Leonardo exhibition’s long run in Melbourne, McFadyen expects a broad demographic. 

“It’s remarkably even, from very young children right through to people in their 80s and 90s,” he says. “Teenagers might come for an Instagram moment, serious art lovers will see one of history’s greatest minds brought to life, and others might just be looking for something special to do.”

For Canberrans, the exhibition offers a rare chance to encounter one of the great figures of Western art and thought in an accessible format. With most of Enlighten’s projections starting when the sun goes down, this indoor exhibition could well be the first destination on a visit to Canberra festival of light. 

Leonardo da Vinci – 500 Years of Genius, Parliamentary Triangle, February 27-March 29.