Whether you're an art enthusiast or not, you must have heard of the Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh. His masterpieces like The Starry Night, Sunflowers, Bedroom In Arles and Self-Portrait With Bandaged Ear are now being presented at a digital immersive art exhibition, "Van Gogh Alive Bangkok" at the massive 4,120m² Attraction Hall in Iconsiam.
In collaboration with Grande Experiences, Live Impact Events and Iconsiam, the event features over 3,000 paintings enlarged into 6m-tall displays through 40 wall and 20 floor projectors. This allows visitors to appreciate van Gogh's unique brush strokes and other details at the largest scale in Southeast Asia.
Since there are many van Gogh digital immersive exhibitions, Devin Ma, co-founder of Live Impact Events, pointed out that what makes "Van Gogh Alive Bangkok" unique is how digital images are better than the original paintings.
"Thanks to Grande Experiences, the digital images will be enlarged with more colours and details. In my opinion, it is better than the real paintings because they have been in museums for many years. Their colours have changed over time. The size of the real paintings is also small, but these paintings are put on 6m screens so viewers can see all details and different layers," said Ma.
In addition to captivating digital images, "Van Gogh Alive Bangkok" which has a theme of "I Dream My Painting And Then, I Paint My Dream", offers immersive multi-sensory experiences. The comforting scent of cypress, sandalwood and nutmeg with a bright accent of lemon and vetiver, transports visitors to orchards, gardens and sprawling fields where van Gogh painted his masterpieces.
According to Rob Kirk, the head of touring experiences of Grande Experiences, "Van Gogh Alive" has been on display since 2011 in Singapore and has been seen by 9 million visitors in over 85 cities including London, Rome, Nagoya, Berlin and Sydney.
"One of the keys to its success is that the exhibition breaks down barriers for audiences of all ages to enjoy and experience art. Grande Experiences introduces art to audiences who would not traditionally visit art galleries and those who do not have the opportunity to visit galleries in Western Europe or North America," said Kirk.
"The use of a multi-sensory immersive environment is a great way to engage audiences in a subject matter," he said.
The idea of "Van Gogh Alive Bangkok" was conceived in 2009 when Grande Experiences saw an opportunity with the development of projection technology. They spent two years coming up with a solution that would allow them to organise a tour with a fixed inventory and adapt it to different locations such as a castle in Sweden, a theatre in the UK, a historical estate in the US or an art museum in Japan.
Kirk explained that Grande Experiences chose to produce an exhibition about van Gogh because the artist has a very fascinating story to tell.
"He was self-taught and an active artist for only 10 years of his life. He had struggles with mental health which affected his painting style over that period of time. The exhibition takes visitors on an emotional journey following van Gogh's life from his early painting days in the Netherlands through his time in Paris and into the South of France and in Provence. Visitors can connect with the emotional struggles that van Gogh experienced during that period of his life."
"Van Gogh Alive Bangkok" presents paintings from 1880 to 1890 because this is when the artist was at his most productive. The exhibition is divided into four zones.
The first zone, Van Gogh Alive Interpretive Information, introduces visitors to van Gogh by highlighting masterpieces such as Almond Blossom, The Red Vineyard and Café Terrace At Night. In this area, there is a life-size replica of his bedroom where he created many paintings.
Next, S4 Gallery Hall showcases over 3,000 digital images of van Gogh's paintings on 6m screens. The immersive exhibition is accompanied by a musical score and comforting scents echoing the artist's experiences and emotions. The exhibition takes visitors on a journey through the locations where van Gogh travelled and tells the story of his life through paintings.
It begins in van Gogh's home in the Netherlands. During this period, his paintings appear in dark tones. In 1886, van Gogh moved to Paris where he created brighter and more vibrant paintings which most people are familiar with. When he lived in the southern French region of Arles, he painted the famous Sunflowers and Café Terrace At Night. The artist later suffered from mental illness and was admitted to an asylum at Saint Remy where he created both tortured and peaceful landscapes which reflected his emotional crisis, such as in View Of The Asylum And Chapel At Saint Remy. The paintings, such as Wheatfield Under Thunderclouds and Wheatfield With Crows made in the Auvers-sur-Oise, display a sense of emptiness and emotional turmoil of his final days. There is also a series of self-portraits throughout his career which reflect his changing emotional states.
The third zone, Van Gogh Old Town, offers interactive experiences to visitors. This lovely section features many picturesque spots inspired by famous paintings such as Noon Rest From Work, Wheat Field With Cypresses and Daubigny's Garden. Visitors will feel as if they are visiting locations van Gogh went to. Sunflowers Mirror Room is filled with beautiful artificial sunflowers and their reflections on the ceilings.
Located in the final zone, Drawing Room displays video tutorials on how to recreate van Gogh's paintings. Visitors can practise their drawing skills for 10 minutes per round. At the AI Interactive Room, visitors can take photos which are transformed into paintings by AI. When visitors need a rest, they can visit Van Gogh Café by After You which offers drinks and desserts inspired by van Gogh's paintings. The tour of the exhibition ends at a souvenir shop which sells handmade bags by Thai artisans featuring van Gogh paintings.
Tickets for this impressive exhibition start at 480 baht for students and 990 baht for the general public. However, many Thai people are used to visiting art galleries for free. How does the organiser plan to encourage Thais to visit "Van Gogh Alive Bangkok"?
"We chose Iconsiam because we feel that it is a unique destination for both locals and tourists. The venue features a conference hall, cinemas, restaurants and shops. Thus, people come here for different purposes. Once they are here to spend the day, they may decide to visit our show. The exhibition is designed to be like an art show which is easy to engage with.
"We also partnered with Thai Ticket Major and TikTok, so that influencers will promote and help Thais understand the show. We have done something that we are really proud of. I am sure people are going to buy the tickets," said Ma.
“Van Gogh Alive Bangkok” runs at Attraction Hall, 6th floor, Iconsiam until July 31. Tickets are 480 baht for students, 990 baht for the general audience and 1,490 baht for VIP tickets. VIP ticket holders will receive exclusive handmade bags and a postcard set or a Starry Night book set. To purchase tickets, visit thaiticketmajor.com. For more information, visit facebook.com/ICONSIAM.
