Van Gogh Immersive Experience Comes to Chicago
By Hector Morales
Staff Writer
Wilhelm Vincent Van Gogh is often regarded as a tragic genius. He created iconic paintings such as “The Sunflowers,” and “Starry Night,” among others. He was known for his vibrant colors and impressive brush strokes.
A new immersive experience in Chicago, with over 400 images from 40 different paintings, takes a viewer of his art into his paintings and psyche. The “Immersive Van Gogh,” exhibit opened in Chicago on February 21, 2021, at the Germania Club in Lincoln Park.
The violins start slowly. An image of a dancing candle flame appears on the left wall before the viewer. Then another appears on the right as the violins raise in volume. Another candle appears above. The violins continue their slow, melancholy song until a fourth candle flames appears. Together, the candles and shrill strings transport your mind to another place as the music culminates. Suddenly, everything goes black.
Sunflowers burst open before you, above you, below you. Everywhere golden streaks of light titillate your visual sense, and the classical piano music, perhaps an original score by composer Luca Longobardi, cascades into your body. The feeling is overwhelming. This is perhaps what makes the exhibit so unique.
“You can feel sadness and loneliness and a sense of happiness in the sunflowers,” said Luke Mariani, a Chicago resident who visited the exhibit. Mariani found that viewing the paintings as digital projections inside the 15,000 square foot space offered a unique perspective.
This was one of the goals of the exhibit, as explained by Maria Schlover, co-producer of the exhibit. The exhibit was created to be “[u]niquely mesmerizing, with animation, story-telling, combined with music and state-of-the-art visual art technology for an immersive art experience.”
Mariani is aware that Van Gogh died poor at 37, but in spite of knowledge has enjoyed Van Gogh paintings in other museums such as the Milwaukee Museum of Art.
“Knowing a little about Van Gogh’s tragic life gives you a different perspective when viewing the gestural brush strokes, and paintings such as the Sunflowers,” said Mariani.
Six-foot circles were placed six feet apart in order to conform to City of Chicago social distancing guidelines, but Mariani was able to consider the circles part of the overall immersive experience.
Schlover explained that the exhibit, which can be seen in 40 minutes loops, can be enjoyed from the balcony or mezzanine levels. The entire venue also has safety protocols in place including masks for all employees, hand sanitizer stations and the socially distanced circles.
“We’re keeping the venue safe for visitors and making sure they have a very good, safe experience,” said Schlover.
Mariani said that he was not concerned because of the safety protocols and plans on seeing the exhibit again.
The exhibit will be at the Germania Club, 108 Germania Place, in Chicago, until September 6, 2021. Tickets can be purchased online at https://www.vangoghchicago.com
