Immersive King Tut, a multi-media art exhibition, opens today at the Harmonie Club at 267 East Grand River in downtown Detroit. The historic building recently hosted Immersive Van Gogh, and will debut The Immersive Nutcracker: a Winter Miracle on Nov. 19.
The King Tut exhibit is being launched to commemorate the 100th anniversary of archeologist Howard Carter’s discovery of the tomb of the legendary “boy king” in November 1922, more formally known as the Egyptian ruler Pharaoh Tutankhamun.
Having pioneered the concept of immersive art exhibitions in North America, including Immersive Van Gogh, Immersive Frida Kahlo, and Immersive Monet & The Impressionists, the production is presented by Toronto-based Lighthouse Immersive, in partnership with United Exhibits Group (UEG), the International Foundation of Fine and Decorative Arts (IFFDA), and with the assistance of the Egyptian Council for Tourism Affairs.
Immersive King Tut uses colorful visuals to tell the story of the Amduat, an important ancient Egyptian funerary text, thought to be the oldest known illustrated story, that was depicted on the tombs of pharaohs. The show also features imagery spotlighting some of the most notable discoveries in Egyptology, including Tutankhamun’s golden death mask as well as his ornately decorated middle coffin and painted burial chamber; a depiction of Apophis, the snake god of chaos, from the tomb of Rameses I; and an ancient sculpture from the Cairo Museums depicting Osiris, the ruler of the Underworld, rising with the sun.
State-of-the-art video mapping and ground-breaking animation bring to life the story of King Tut’s passage into the afterlife as he escorts the sun through the underworld each night to rise again victoriously each morning.
Mexico City-based Cocolab created the fantastical animations integrating images acquired by UEG and IFFDA through their 30-year history of presenting spectacular touring exhibitions, including those honoring King Tut and ancient Egyptian civilization.
Immersive King Tut has appeared in eight cities in 2022, with more to be announced soon:
- Denver | Now playing
- Toronto | Beginning Aug. 10
- Los Angeles | Beginning Aug. 19
- Kansas City | Beginning Sept. 16
- Dallas | Beginning Sept. 23
- Phoenix | Beginning Sept. 30
- Chicago | Beginning Oct. 14
- Detroit | Beginning Nov. 4
Tickets, which start at $29.99, are on sale now at kingtutexhibit.com.
“Since the discovery of his tomb a century ago, Tutankhamun — or King Tut — has transfixed the world,” says Corey Ross, producer of Immersive King Tut. “Over the past 100 years, the magnificent artifacts from his tomb have drawn millions of visitors eager to see the grandeur and splendor of Egypt’s most famous leader. This captivating experience will use sight and sound to transport visitors more than 3,000 years into the past in a groundbreaking way that only Lighthouse Immersive can.”
The new exhibit is presented with the assistance of the Egyptian Council for Tourism Affairs. “Immersive King Tut highlights one of the most important elements of ancient Egyptian civilization, which is the journey of the deceased during the 12 hours of the night undertaken by the most famous kings of ancient Egypt, Tutankhamun” says Doctor Hazem Attiatalla with the Egyptian Council for Tourism Affairs.
Immersive King Tut was designed by the creative team at Cocolab in Mexico City. The project is headed by César Moheno-Pla, with original music by Edi Kistler and art direction by Renata Galindo.
“Audiences will experience a much more cinematic experience than other immersive shows,” says Moheno-Pla. “We’ve developed ground-breaking animation techniques that will give the feeling of a true immersive experience; visitors will feel like they’re exploring the tombs of ancient Egypt. Immersive King Tut also features a strong narrative that goes beyond simply showcasing the grandeur of ancient Egypt. The story will help guests journey with King Tutankhamun as he faces nightly battles in the afterlife to emerge triumphant when morning comes.”
Tutankhamun was an Egyptian pharaoh who ruled around 1332-1323 B.C. Taking the throne at about nine years of age, his short reign spurred the creation of some of the most important artworks in all of world history, and for many these mark the height of ancient Egypt’s culture.
The discovery of the treasures in his tomb in 1922 by acclaimed archeologist Howard Carter changed the world dramatically in its view of ancient Egypt, archaeological discovery, and sparked a global fascination with ancient Egypt that continues to this day. More than 5,000 artifacts were ultimately removed from the king’s tomb and are preserved in Egypt’s national collection.
“Immersive King Tut will amaze the lovers of ancient Egyptian civilization,” adds Attiatalla. “On behalf of the Egyptian tourism industry, we have given our full support to this show to not only highlight the magnificence of ancient Egypt, but to attract more tourist traffic to Egypt.”
Lighthouse Immersive creates, produces, and distributes innovative digital immersive art experiences through its experiential entertainment multiplex digital art galleries, aiming to cultivate community and creativity through large-scale events and exhibitions of all art forms.
Since 2021, the company has opened or is opening 21 new galleries in North American cities including New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Las Vegas, Boston and Denver, and is currently expanding into additional markets. To date, Lighthouse Immersive has sold more than 5 million tickets to Immersive Van Gogh across North America, with Artnet calling it “one of the largest coordinated art phenomena of all time.”
