With Immersive Van Gogh visitors can do just that. This epic celebration of Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh features 40 of his masterpieces, including Starry Night and Sunflowers, that are animated and brought to life. Using anywhere from 20,0000 to 70,000 square feet of animated projections, depending on the venue, the exhibit is a dance of art, light, music and imagination. Americans got a glimpse inside Immersive Van Gogh when the exhibit was featured in the Netflix hit Emily in Paris as Emily Cooper, (Lily Collins), visited the exhibit. That exhibit in the City of Lights was seen by over two million people. In real life, Collins also visited Immersive Van Gogh in Chicago this past April. “After following all of the proper safety measures, I was able to travel to Chicago and wander through this exhibition, which I actually had the pleasure of seeing almost two years ago in Paris,” Collins wrote on Instagram. “The immersive art installation takes a deep dive inside the mind and works of Van Gogh and brings them to life in a whole new way. It was the most incredible way to connect to the iconic paintings!” Immersive Van Gogh was conceived and created by Massimiliano Siccardi and features an original soundtrack by Luca Longobardi. Creative director David Korins created a custom design to fit the exhibit in select locales including New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Orlando, Denver, Dallas and Detroit. Considered the Stephen Spielberg of immersive art installations, Siccardi has been creating them for three decades. “It’s an incredibly profound and rare way to experience art in general where you can see the nuanced brushstrokes,” says Korins, who designed many Broadway shows including Hamilton, Dear Evan Hansen and the upcoming Mrs. Doubtfire and has collaborated with Bruno Mars, Elton John, Lady Gaga and others. “Also, because we have projections from the top down onto the floor and on all the surfaces, it is a full, immersive experience. You can literally stand on the surface of the painting and watch it form around you.” Korins talked with Parade.com about more features of Immersive Van Gogh, when and where to visit, what to expect and more. Why is Immersive Van Gogh special? In his lifetime Van Gogh only sold one painting and suffered from a lot of conditions that, nowadays, if he was alive, would have been totally manageable. He really grappled with loneliness. As we wrestle as a community and a culture with the pandemic and have all gone through some form of isolation or loneliness, he is the perfect artist in the perfect time. Also Van Gogh’s work is so accessible. He is probably one of the top five most recognizable artists. If you know a lot about art, you can experience this work at a totally different scale in a completely different way and have a greater appreciation for it. But also, if you don’t know anything about art history or Van Gogh, it’s still so incredibly accessible and a unique experience. What do you hope people take away from the Immersive Van Gogh exhibit. We’ve endeavored to humanize Van Gogh. Too frequently people reduce artists in general to their most popular painting. People think, he was troubled, he cut off his ear and he painted Starry Night. All those things are true, but also he had a massive body of work and was incredibly prolific and insightful. Van Gogh literally changed the face of the art world, posthumously. I hope that people get a greater appreciation of that. Also, perhaps people will see a parallel in his journey and understand that the things that make you unique, strange and interesting—things that you wrestle with can be turned into a force of strength, power and beauty. Here we are more than 100 years later showing thousands and thousands of people this unique human journey. What is the difference between going to Immersive Van Gogh versus seeing Van Gogh in a museum? Massimiliano Siccardi, the filmmaker who made the film at the centerpiece of the experience, created a whole new interpretation of Van Gogh’s work. We’ve licensed hundreds of images. But he also took the work, almost deconstructed it, then cut it together, the way that a DJ might do to music. And it’s completely synched up to an original score. What you’re seeing at a museum is the art in a finite, framed setting as a two dimensional experience. At Immersive Van Gogh you experience an interpretation of the art. Sometimes you see the paintings in full scale and complete. But what Massimiliano has also done is grab elements of it as you watch it morph and evolve in front of your eyes. How do your sculptures and items you added enhance the experience? If you are standing inside the painting and watching this artwork form and change, by looking at these mirror sculptures I added, you can see yourself reflected and refracted into the painting. It gives an additional kind of meta experience on top of it. That makes it more personal. Here are a few more details about Immersive Van Gogh:
What to know before seeing Immersive Van Gogh?
Immersive Van Gogh has been hailed as an entirely new, accessible way of encountering art and has been enthusiastically embraced in every city where it is presented with many cities extending their show dates.
Is this the Van Gogh light show from Emily in Paris?
Massimiliano Siccardi was the director of the the Atelier des Lumières Van Gogh experience that was featured in Emily in Paris.
What is the best way to prepare to see Immersive Van Gogh?
Download the free Lighthouse Immersive app before you get to the Immersive Van Gogh exhibit. The app includes Immersive Van Gogh audio guides, access to AR Lobby activations, educational content about Van Gogh’s paintings, a playlist of the Immersive Van Gogh soundtrack, parking info, nearby restaurants and more.
What is Immersive Van Gogh?
Immersive Van Gogh epic celebration of Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh. Audiences literally step inside the iconic works of the post-Impressionist artist, evoking his highly emotional and chaotic inner consciousness through art, light, music, movement and imagination. Depending on the venue, expect to see anywhere from 20,0000 to 70,000 square feet of animated projections. The exhibit is a dance of art, light, music and imagination. Think of it as a journey through his brilliance and madness!
How many Van Gogh paintings will I see?
The Immersive Van Gogh exhibit features 40 of Vincent Van Gogh’s most famous masterpieces, from his sunny landscapes and night scenes to his portraits and still-life paintings. The installation includes the Les Mangeurs de Pomme de Terre (The Potato Eaters, 1885), La Nuit étoilée (Starry Night, 1889), Les Tournesols (Sunflowers, 1888) and La Chambre à Coucher (The Bedroom, 1889), and much more.
In what cities can I see Immersive Van Gogh?
New York City
Los Angeles Chicago Las Vegas San Francisco Toronto Dallas Detroit Houston Columbus Denver Orlando Nashville Kansas City Pittsburgh Minneapolis Houston Cleveland Detroit Phoenix San Antonio Charlotte
How long does Immersive Van Gogh last in each city?
The dates of each tour vary based on ticket sales and many cities have extended their tours. Visit the Immersive Van Gogh website for specific dates and details for each city: www.immersivevangogh.com
How much does Immersive Van Gogh cost?
Tickets for the exhibition are on sale now at cities across the U.S. Tickets range in price from $29.99 for kids to $99.99 for VIP Flex tickets, which come with priority access, flexible admission, a limited-edition poster, a souvenir laminate and a Van Gogh cushion. Basic timed tickets begin at $39.99.
Is Immersive Van Gogh appropriate for children?
Immersive Van Gogh is something everyone can enjoy. Children 5 and under do not require a ticket.
Is Immersive Van Gogh safe during COVID?
The show adheres to all state and local COVID-19 guidelines and requires proof of vaccination for entry. The hour-long walk-through experience has been designed with health and safety as the top priority.
How long does it take to see the Immersive Van Gogh exhibit?
Plan to spend about an hour to see the Immersive Van Gogh exhibition.
