Mesmerized at the Van Gogh Immersive Experience! 

The very first time I’d heard of it, I was desperate to see it! The idea of setting my eyes upon enormous pieces of art itself gets a thumbs-up from me. Tell me I can feel what it’s like to be in a painting and I’ll definitely want to do it. Then add to it that we’re talking about works of Van Gogh and I’ll be thirsty for the experience. I’ve always wanted to get to know more of this artist and his art. After holding the wish in my heart for ‘months together’ and finally real-izing it, I was totally tipsy from the Van Gogh Immersive Experience. And I’m pretty sure most of you will be, too.

I got my share of this immersive experience at *Sacramento, California. I absolutely love how well the journey into these artworks was planned. The self guided tour started off with a bit of information about this great artist, a large sculpted head with his signature colors projected on it (almost like it was meant to take you into his head, figuratively), and went on to a short film about his life and art, and of course copies of his works of art. The cream of this trip to this Van Gogh world, however, were the enormous pieces of projected art, and VR experience at the end was the cherry on the top!

Vincent Van Gogh

Vincent van Gogh was born in Holland in 1853 says the book I picked up at the gift shop. As a teenager, Van Gogh is said to have worked with his uncle who was an art dealer. During that time he is said to have gotten exposed to many great artworks. He also had the opportunity to visit art museums before he went on to work as a lay minister in a church in Belgium. At the age of 27, however, he decided to go back to a life of art and this time he took to painting. He went on to learn the art from works of great artists and draw inspiration from life around him. As such, his earlier works were depictions of peat workers, miners and farmers.

Later, he is said to have moved to France, met many artists and gained more exposure in the art world and began polishing his own art, ultimately building his own style of it.

This artist’s body of work ranges from scenes of the countryside to lives of people, views he witnessed, some recalled from memory, flowers and flower fields, stills of city life and portraits, many of which were self portraits.

The film I watched at the museum in Sacramento, told me that the bold strokes, bright colors and textures that his works are today known for were all a result of the state of his eyesight. As his condition blurred his sense of sight, he had to use strong colors, lines and curves to create images and details that stood out to him.

I also learned that most of Van Gogh’s artworks were created during the last couple of years of his life after which he committed suicide, which can be attributed to his financial and mental health struggles.

His art

The Van Gogh Immersive Experience 

The immersive experience that I was privileged to be a part of in Sac City was a great coming together of art, light, sound and technology, creating a one-of-a-kind of an experience. In the main viewing room, the art was presented in animated layers projected onto the walls (and floor), for the ultimate 360-degree experience.

The VR Experience

This wasn’t on my initial plan. My kids wanted to try the Van Gogh VR experience and then I just decided to hop in! And what a virtual reality it was! This journey into the great artist’s works was a very personal experience. I got totally lost in that world of art and was absolutely oblivious of my surroundings, the people leaving the museum… all of it.

I highly recommend this art show! If the Van Gogh Experience is coming to your city or one near you, you have to go check it out! If you enjoy art, colors and dreamy experiences, it’s sure to be magical! ✨

I was totally intoxicated by these paintings made of vibrant colors and bold strokes! And when I walked out of there, not only did I walk out with a ‘high’ that the large pieces of art gave me, but also with a small book about the artist and his art, a poster to be framed, and a canvas to create my own Van Gogh – style painting. 😉

For Monday Mural,
Here are parts of a big mural on the outside walls of the building that housed this exhibition —

Also linking to–
Pictorial Tuesday
My Corner of the World

More:
Art on TftT

*This show has moved on from its Sacramento Venue but is showing in several other cities around the world

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