Immersive Van Gogh

OMINOUS MUSIC PULSES through a cavernous room as sharp green leaves emerge from the ceiling, smoothly falling until they settle on the ground. At once, flowers bloom, filling all four sides of the expansive space with a deep purple glow. Then the music halts and the walls turn pitch black.

Vincent Van Gogh’s painting “Irises,” along with dozens of his other pieces, comes to life at the “Immersive Van Gogh” exhibit in San Francisco’s historic Fillmore West venue. The most recent installation of the Immersive Van Gogh project, the exhibit was first created in

Paris in 2019, and has since been on display in Toronto before making its Bay Area debut this year.

Blending fine art with technology has been a growing movement, such as the 2017 film “Loving Vincent,” animated entirely in oil paintings, and the “Meet Vincent Van Gogh” exhibit, which turns his art interactive.

Immersive Van Gogh, however, brings audiences on a new journey. Using 300,000 cubic feet of projections, Van Gogh’s paintings develop into animated landscapes around the exhibit’s single room. They’re complemented by a soaring soundtrack, surrounding viewers with Van Gogh’s signature colors and unique style.

The exhibition itself consists of a 35 minute production, showcasing Van Gogh’s art and artistic process. Visitors can walk around or take a seat inside the socially distanced circles that divide the dark room. Colors shift, objects glow and paintings transition around the four massive walls in a theatrical story that spans Van Gogh’s emotional artistic career.

“Exhibits [like these] are ideal in COVID times because it’s much easier to social distance since people don’t have to move as much,” sophomore Addie McCarter said.

In one scene, a chair from his painting “The Bedroom” is separated from the rest of the room, serenely gliding across the walls before the show shifts to the next piece. By highlighting smaller parts of his paintings, viewers can appreciate the sometimes overlooked elements of Van Gogh’s work.

The animations also tell a new story beyond those evoked by his paintings on their own: trees blazing into sight emphasize the artist’s mastery of color and stars shining amid a dark room bring his light to life. Moments like these flow together to create the immersive experience that has become popular on social media.

“I think virtual exhibits can be more engaging for younger audiences or people like me who have a shorter attention span,” McCarter said.

Other visuals, however, seem excessive or even distracting at times. In one scene, clouds tumbling across the sky make people standing below seem still and lifeless in comparison, while in another, a video clip of a grassy field clashes with the paintings. Known for its color and movement, Van Gogh’s work doesn’t always need added light and animation to bring the art to life.

A key part of the exhibit is the accompanying music. As painted trees burst from the ground and stars swirl overhead, the soundtrack dips and soars. Violins and cellos sing as roots twist themselves into flowers, and the rhythmic tunes of French singer Édith Piaf

roar overhead while a shining sun soars across the sky. Usually inspiring, though sometimes jarring, the music brings a new dimension to Van Gogh’s art.

The mishmash of sculptures and installations scattered before and after the main exhibit also attempt to do that, with less success. From a constellation of hanging paint brushes to suspended globes stuffed with sunflowers, photo opportunities are everywhere, but theseunexpected add-ons detract from the power of the show.

Like with traditional museums, the balance between documenting and experiencing is prevalent in “Immersive Van Gogh.” Taking pictures is part of the experience, yet it’s also important to put down the camera and enjoy the beautiful lights and stories.

From being bathed in blue light to watching a painted sky roll in sunset hues, “Immersive Van Gogh” creates countless moments of wonder. It delivers a unique and memorable, if slightly expensive, exhibit that blurs the boundaries between fine art and technology, history and today.