Returning to Melbourne after living in Europe has given me a new lens through which to appreciate my hometown. I went from walking through cities where the tallest building was a centuries-old cathedral's spire, to coming home to a vibrant, modern skyline. This shift, from quiet, aged grandeur to vibrant, artistic laneways, made me appreciate that a city's character is shaped as much by its dynamic energy and culture as it is by its history. And what better way to experience our city’s cultural heartbeat than at one of its finest institutions, the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV).

It's this blend of past and present that made visiting the French Impressionism exhibition at the NGV particularly resonant. Stepping into the exhibition space, I was genuinely transported back to the galleries and museums in Europe. The experience was more than just a visit; it felt like a deeply personal reunion with a time and place I cherished, with the deliberate staging of the entire exhibition, from the meticulously arranged paintings to the transformed gallery space, guiding me through a narrative of light and change. Seeing Monet's Haystack brought back a flood of memories. It took me back to a specific moment where I stood before its sister painting, Grainstack, in Zurich (where I spent time studying) at the Kunsthaus.

The nature of these paintings is nothing short of magical. They capture a moment in time and space with an almost supernatural ability, whether it's the gentle movement of the wind or the vibrant colours of a field. Each canvas feels less like a painting and more like a window, offering a portal to the sun-drenched landscapes or bustling city scenes of late 19th-century Europe.

I found myself pausing in front of Renoir's Dance at Bougival. In the exhibition room’s atmosphere, I could almost hear the music from the dance hall and the low murmur of conversation in the background. The rosy glow on the woman's face and the way her dress swirled with effortless motion captured a perfect, fleeting moment of lighthearted romance. It was a testament to the impressionists' unique ability to bottle an emotion and a moment, preserving it for all time.

This power to transport is not limited to the canvases alone. The combination of these masterpieces and the NGV's stunning architectural transformation of the space creates a truly masterful and immersive artistic experience. This is where I found myself transported once again, this time to the Musée de l'Orangerie in Paris. I remember walking into its rounded, light-filled rooms—a space purpose-built to hold Monet's monumental Water Lilies murals. Standing there, surrounded by the sweeping, impressionistic brushstrokes, I felt a sense of complete immersion. The NGV has managed to evoke that very same feeling here in Melbourne. The exhibition's design features a stunning, rounded room of its own, echoing the architectural genius of the Orangerie. Surrounded by a collection of works that create a similar sense of serene wonder, it felt like NGVhad brought a piece of that quintessential Parisian artistic experience directly to us.

This exhibition’s seamless blend of the physical and the emotional truly bridges continents and centuries, bringing a piece of Europe directly to Melbourne.

Images: Visitors in French Impressionism from the Museum of Fine Arts,Boston on display from 6 June to 5 October, at NGV International, Melbourne. Photo: Dan Castano.

Pierre-Auguste Renoir French,1841–1919 Dance at Bougival,1883 oil on canvas 181.9 x 98.1 cm Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Picture Fund Photography © Museum of FineArts, Boston. All Rights Reserved