Get your ticket and Gogh: New immersive exhibition of legendary artist's work shines
In an 1874 correspondence to his brother, Vincent Van Gogh wrote, "...find things beautiful as much as you can, most people find too little beautiful."
It is my belief that Van Gogh and just about anyone else would find much beauty to behold in Beyond Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience.
Imaginative and deeply entrancing, Beyond Van Gogh offers its audience something out of a dream. From the very beginning you are transported to another dimension and placed inside the works and perhaps the very mind of Vincent Van Gogh.
What begins as a sort of visual history behind the artist, featuring written words about his artistic journey and selected quotes from letters he wrote, culminates in a completely immersive experience as his artwork comes to life around you and even under your feet.
Beyond Van Gogh
Sébastien Grernier-Cartier, CEO and partner at Montreal-based Normal Studio says the first and most important challenge was to make sure that in creating the experience, the depth of meaning behind the artists brushstrokes didn't get lost in the technology.
"The objective is to use the technology, but to make it disappear,"Grernier-Cartier said. "So that when you dive into it, you don't feel that you're looking at an image, but rather you're in it, like an environment."
Dozens of projectors set up in a grid beam the high resolution scans of Van Gogh's work around the exhibit. Every surface, including the floor seems to breathe, Van Gogh's most famous works fill your vision and an ambient soundtrack plays and moves over the digital scenery.
Grernier-Cartier says they wanted to make an experience that was inclusive of everyone, "Beyond Van Gogh is for families," he said. "Kids love it. You know, they lived in the age where they see images everywhere. So for them, it's like just a natural thing to follow like images on the floor."
In each of the scenes presented, Van Gogh's works seem to come to life, elements move and sway with the soft music overhead. Digital artists worked to isolate and manipulate textures and colours and even whole elements from the artist's work.
"There is a scene where you're looking at different paintings of Van Gogh that he did of himself, and then we've extended them onto the floor a little bit, so it feels like the room is infinite," he said.
Beyond Van Gogh
The organizers want to make sure people feel safe when they come and visit Beyond Van Gogh. The space has hand washing stations and there is plenty of room to roam around so social distancing space is available.
Tickets are currently available on the website (https://calgaryvangogh.com) every Thursday morning, there are special tickets to attend a yoga class right in the middle of the immersive space.
The exhibit opens Friday July 30 and runs until August 30.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Potential tornado 'surreal' for residents who witnessed damaging storm in southern Ontario
Witnessing a potential tornado was 'surreal' for residents who caught a glimpse of the damaging storm in southern Ontario on Wednesday night.
Was this the bug that stung you? Wasp sightings revive murder-hornet concerns; no detections confirmed
As temperatures rise out of a mild El Nino winter, Canada's buggy season is already upon us again, and this year, the bugs are looking especially big.
Minister tables bill to extend citizenship rights to children born abroad
Immigration Minister Marc Miller tabled legislation today that is intended to extend citizenship to some children born outside of the country.
WestJet planning new fare category for travellers willing to forgo carry-on bag
WestJet Airlines plans to launch a new cheaper fare category that would be available to travellers willing to fly without a carry-on bag.
Hundreds have applied for this 'adventurer' job in Banff National Park
Coined as Banff's 'ultimate summer job,' the Moraine Lake Bus Company says hundreds of people from across the world have applied for its adventurer position.
'We'll need all hands on deck': Details emerge after deadly boat crash near Kingston, Ont.
Police say they have wrapped up their on-scene investigation into a deadly boat crash in eastern Ontario as details of the incident begin to emerge.
Jennifer Lopez's response to question about Ben Affleck is a reminder of their decades of love in the spotlight
Plenty of people are wondering if Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck are having problems in their marriage, but one person had the nerve to ask in a public forum.
U.S. Justice Department says illegal monopoly by Ticketmaster and Live Nation drives up prices for fans
The U.S. Justice Department filed a sweeping antitrust lawsuit against Ticketmaster and parent company Live Nation Entertainment on Thursday, accusing them of running an illegal monopoly over live events in America -- squelching competition and driving up prices for fans.
Adding just 10% ultraprocessed foods to healthy diets may raise risk of cognitive decline, stroke
Eating more ultraprocessed foods is linked to a higher risk of cognitive decline and stroke, even if a person is trying to adhere to a Mediterranean diet, the DASH diet or the MIND diet, a new study found.