Louvre creates containment zone for people who only came to selfie with Mona Lisa
The Louvre is giving the Mona Lisa her own dedicated exhibition space, a move that should dramatically improve conditions both for art lovers and for the daily migrating herds of tourists whose primary relationship with the painting consists of holding a phone over their heads for six blurry seconds.
In a statement announcing major structural changes to the Louvre in Paris, administrators revealed that the Mona Lisa will have her own 33,000 square-foot exhibition space.
It means that people looking to see the famous Giocanda will not necessarily have to pass through or even visit the rest of the Louvre. They will be spared the extra time waiting in line, and can get in, take their selfies, and get out.
Meanwhile, those who wish to see the hundreds of thousands of other pieces among the galleries, will be spared the extra waiting time in line from those queuing only for the purpose of seeing the Mona Lisa.
It’s a superb compromise, and one that will also come with a $1 billion renovation aimed at reducing congestion all over the Louvre and modernizing the massive building’s infrastructure.
Thousands will continue discovering that the Mona Lisa is much smaller than the internet led them to believe.
Maybe they can take the time to conserve the painting and clean off the old varnish when the big move happens.