Go to Van Gogh
From the first step, Beyond Van Gogh is a captivating experience. Moving beyond the famed artist's work in static frames on renowned museum walls, this immersive art experience is an engaging combination of more than 300 high-resolution still and moving works of art by Vincent Van Gogh in a 30,000 square foot environment.
This mesmerizing experience is a continual metamorphosis. As soon as I began to take in a piece of art, it began to transform into a fluidity of movement awash in color accompanied by a musical soundtrack, including Don McLean’s “Vincent (Starry, Starry Night)” and the Beatles’ “Here Comes the Sun.”
Throughout the exhibit, you're bathed in a riotous swirl of chromatic imagery. I wanted to dance among the falling flowers, twirling like a young flower girl amidst the floating and falling white petals. While there are a few benches to sit upon during this experience, sitting for a brief spell allowed me to see another perspective of the works. College-aged patrons sat on the floor and absorbed the work from that vantage point. Another way to engage with Beyond Van Gogh is to participate with One Tree Hot Yoga’s session in the exhibit space.
During the projection of additional works, it felt as if I were encapsulated in an aquarium, then, that aquarium perception fashioned itself into water appearing to flow over and around my feet, as it might in a moving stream.
One piece of the experience featured Van Gogh's self portraits, as well as portraits of other subjects. Some of the eyes in the featured portraits move, as if blinking at you.
I attended the exhibit with a friend and her 11-year-old grandson. We were of three generations, each soaking up our own experience. I asked her grandson what he wanted people to know about Beyond Van Gogh and he joyfully told me that people needed to see this exhibit now and, with the exuberance of a middle schooler, that he was going to paint his bedroom like Starry Night. My friend shared that she had prepared him for the exhibit by checking out a book on Van Gogh and his work from a local library, which provided him with background on what he would see.
Prior to attending Beyond Van Gogh, another friend who had toured the experience encouraged me to take my time with the historical and biographical information that is provided before entering the immersive part of the experience. Reading this information provided excellent context and more details about Van Gogh's life than I had previously known.
Beyond Van Gogh is art redefined. It will capture the interest of art lovers and those who may not yet be fans of his infamous art. The best part of Beyond Van Gogh? Another friend who was visiting the experience shared that she had wanted to see it when it was in the Netherlands, but her tour itinerary did not correspond with the offered dates. She was delighted to find she could view this version of the experience right here in the Quad Cities!
You can immerse yourself in this must see summer experience through July 20, 2023, at the River Center.
Lisa Powell Williams is a retired librarian with a passion for all things Quad Cities.