Tag Archives: Van Gogh

A virtual step into van Gogh’s life and paintings

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A life-sized reproduction of Vincent van Gogh’s painting, “The Bedroom,” featured at “Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience,” which runs through October 15 at 555 Center Dr. NW, Walker. (Courtesy)






By Thomas Hegewald, WKTV Contributing Writer

There is a room in the new “Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience” exhibit that contains a life-sized replica of his bedroom in the yellow house in Arles, France. It is life-sized so that you can step into the “scene,” or the painting itself.

This is just one of the immersive elements of the new exhibit of Vincent van Gogh. It’s a new way to enjoy his works and immerse yourself in the artist’s masterpieces in this high-tech, digital show that opened in Grand Rapids on July 22 and runs through October 15 at 555 Center Dr. NW. 

 

Dutch history

Grand Rapids was selected for this immersive exhibit because of its Dutch heritage. John Zaller, executive producer at Exhibition Hub, hopes that attendees to the exhibit leave with a deeper appreciation of van Gogh, who was born in the Netherlands in 1853.

“The way we use tech is different than a museum’s approach,” Zaller explained. “Van Gogh’s work is approachable – filled with color and motion – it lends itself to a new interpretation.”

The exhibit is featured in 14 cities across the United States as well as in Europe. It has been touring since 2017, bringing in more than 5 million visitors, according to the website vangoghexpo.com

The 360-degree main gallery of the “Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience” features his painting, “The Starry Night.” The show opened in Grand Rapids on July 22 and runs through October 15 at 555 Center Dr. NW. (Courtesy)

Visitors (and participants) of the exhibit move at their own pace through a number of rooms, structured more like a gallery, with the pieces more accessible than in a museum.

“We feature pieces key to his story,” explained Zaller, when talking about which of van Gogh’s nearly 900 paintings to incorporate in the show.

And that story flows throughout the exhibit.

 

Color blindness effect

A documentary interprets van Gogh’s work and how he used color; explaining further that he had a color blindness, where he saw fewer colors and used brighter colors because of it. On the nearby walls hang canvas replicas of some of his paintings – in their actual size – so you can see the scale in which he worked.

Throughout the exhibit are panels containing background information about his family, themes in his work and color studies.

Complex emotions

Van Gogh’s struggle with mental illness, culminating in taking his own life, adds to the complex emotional undercurrent felt when looking at his work. His story, his style, his artwork are relatable and approachable.

In addition to stepping into life-size paintings, visitors are fully immersed in the largest gallery which features “360-degree floor-to-ceiling digital projection.” There are chairs and benches to sit on and experience a display that progresses before your eyes. Paintings come alive with moving elements and coordinating sound effects.

In one scene, white line drawings appear on a black background. And then colors flow into the drawing, filling in the objects until the darkness is overcome by color.

The VR Room

Just past this gallery is the VR (Virtual Reality) room where goggles are available to experience a 10-minute tour of van Gogh’s home studio, surrounding countryside and nearby town – as though walking through it. Specific scenes are presented with a frame and within the VR reality, that scene evolves into the painting that van Gogh created. 

After all of this inspiration, you’re invited to select an outline of one of his pieces, color it in, scan it in and see it projected on a screen.

Extreme technology

While the main feature of this exhibit is works by Vincent van Gogh, the tech side of it relied on 30-40 digital artists who combined their talents to present his work in a variety of ways. The components of the exhibit filled six trailers and took three weeks to install, covering 30,000 square feet.

Vincent Van Gogh painted numerous versions of sunflowers throughout their lifecycle. This is one of the rooms featured at “Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience,” which opened in Grand Rapids on July 22 and runs through October 15 at 555 Center Dr. NW. (Courtesy)

Standard admission (weekdays before 4:30 pm)

Adults (ages 18 and older) – $37.20

Children (ages 4-12) – $24.10

Seniors (ages 65 and older), Students (ages 13-26) or Military – $25.70

Family Pass (2 Adults + 2 kids) – $107.00.


Standard admission (weekdays after 4:30 pm and on weekends)

  • Adults (ages 18 and older) – $40.40
  • Children (ages 4-12)  – $29.50
  • Seniors (ages 65 and older), Students (ages 13-26) or Military – $31.70
  • Family Pass (2 Adults + 2 kids) – $121.80

See vangoghexpo.com to purchase tickets. Open six days a week, closed on Tuesdays.

What it is like experiencing the ‘Beyond Van Gogh’ exhibit

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More than 300 works by Van Gogh are featured in the “Beyond Van Gogh” exhibit. (Photos by Thomas Hegewald)

By Thomas Hegewald
WKTV Contributing Writer

Vincent Van Gogh’s life story has been adapted to film in various iterations and there is widespread exposure to his masterpiece, “The Starry Night” and to his tragic life. A quick search yields that this Dutch, Post-Impressionist artist produced nearly 900 paintings within a ten year period. Yet, none of this prepares his admirers for an immersive experience of his life and artwork.

Through July 9, DeVos Place is currently hosting the immersive exhibit “Beyond Van Gogh,” featuring more than 300 of Van Gogh’s paintings. The exhibit is comprised of three rooms. In the first room, attendees weave through lit up panels with text – historical information on Van Gogh and quotes from his correspondence with his brother, Theo. Following this, attendees walk into the “Waterfall” room. Here, images and designs project onto the front-facing wall and then “pour” down onto and across the floor.

“Starry Night Over the Rhone” is just one of the many Van Gogh paintings featured. (Photo by Thomas Hegewald)

The third room contains the main gallery. Here, screens cover all four sides from floor to almost ceiling, with three additional, square columns in the center. While an instrumental soundtrack – of period or complementary pieces – plays, Van Gogh’s art flows across the screens. Digital animation and transitions enhance the illusion of the immersive quality by evoking a sense of being there as the brush strokes appear and the paintings fill and sometimes move across the screens. For one piece, a blank canvas is the initial image, then lines are drawn until a town square is fully rendered. Next, color flows into the piece filling in, between and around the lines until it is emblazoned with vibrant, complementary colors and brush strokes full of movement and vitality. 

A row of portraits transitions to landscapes then to flower bouquets and back to landscapes – showcasing Van Gogh’s style evolving and developing over time. Audience members stand, sit or walk around the space – looking in awe at the projected pieces. Are we viewing Van Gogh’s artwork with empathy, knowing his plight or are the pieces wrought with emotions to begin with? While “fear” doesn’t seem to be encased in any of the pieces, there is a sense of urgency, of something … emerging.

Several of Van Gogh’s self portraits are part of the exhibit as well. (Photo by Thomas Hegewald)

A detailed sketch of landscapes and farm fields fills the screens. Then an instrumental version of the Beatles, “Here Comes the Sun” plays through the speakers as color fills in – like pasture grasses and leaves on trees becoming lively shades of green. A sense of vitality sweeps through the room along with it. The screens darken for a transition. White dashes form swirls against a dark blue background – intensifying in quantity and motion as it evolves, fills in, and becomes … “The Starry Night.”

Numerous segments from paintings occupy the screens and floor – like different colored panels. Randomly, in each one, a signature appears, as though written as we watch, until all the panels bear the same, singular name, Vincent.

The “Beyond Van Gogh” exhibit is open 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. Sunday – Thursday and 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the DeVos Place, Exhibit Hall A, 303 Monroe Ave. SE. Some (single) tickets are still available. Individual tickets are $23.99 – $83.99 depending on the package selected. The exhibit runs through July 9.

Summer brings artful garden beds and painting competition to Windmill Island Gardens

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By Matt Helmus, Windmill Island Gardens

Visitors from around the world are familiar with the tulip display at Windmill Island Gardens each May. However, many are not aware that the gardens are reborn each summer. After Tulip Time, staff removes tulips and replaces them with thousands of annuals in themed beds for visitors to enjoy. This summer Windmill Island Gardens is proud to offer ‘The Artful Garden’.

Using garden beds as their canvas, horticulture staff designed the annual beds to mimic famous paintings. From Piet Mondrian’s modern colorful abstract work to Vincent van Gogh’s sunflowers, each bed features a floral nod to a featured painter. Beds contain informational signage about the artist and their work. Artists include Picasso, Degas, Pollock, O’Keefe, Warhol, Monet and more.

Guests will notice the beds change as the season progresses. Many will only appear for a short time as flowers mature, bloom, and recede. In addition, there are a handful of sculptural works by local artists that build on the art theme.

In conjunction with the garden displays, Windmill Island Gardens will be hosting ‘Art on the Island’ — a summer-long plein air painting competition. Artists are invited to bring easel and canvas to the Island to capture the beauty of the windmill, flowers, and natural setting. Prizes will be granted to the winners and announced at an Art Gala and Sale on Thursday, September 7th.

Information on these events and more is available at windmillisland.org. Visitors and artists alike are invited to experience the artistic beauty of Windmill Island Gardens this summer seven days a week through October 1st.