Last Sunday I was given a last-minute invitation to visit the “Imagine Van Gogh Immersive Exhibition” with a friend. And what a treat it was!
The exhibit has been in my city over the summer and, although it was on my radar, I never followed through with getting tickets. Van Gogh was never one of my favourite artists, but like many of you, I was familiar with much of his work, but…
Being immersed in a Van Gogh painting is almost psychedelic…not that I have ever had a psychedelic (drug-induced) experience! The colours are brilliant, the magnified brush strokes so bold you can almost feel them and the energy palpable. With blurred boundaries, the image is everywhere, all around and below! You are walking through Van Gogh’s “starry night“.
The concept and technology behind the exhibit are beyond creative. The paintings are projected on huge screens, continuously moving from one image to the next. Parts of a painting are revealed, showing it in a whole new light…is this how Van Gogh imagined it? The music that accompanies the showing is so moving, adding another layer of appreciation. Being part of a Van Gogh dreamworld was mesmerizing and I loved it!
Over 200 images of Van Gogh’s paintings are included in this exhibit. I was thrilled to see my favourite, “Cafe Terrace at Night” when it flashed on the screen. This painting evokes a happy memory from many years ago while in Nice.
Most of Van Gogh’s life was racked with poor mental health. If only he could know what has become of his work and the love people have for it.
We had a lovely dinner after visiting the exhibit and upon leaving the restaurant, we caught a glimpse of the almost full harvest moon. The sky was dark and clear with the promise of a starry night to come…
xox Judy