Van Gogh’s masterpieces come to life
In a particularly apt quote for the present times, Vincent van Gogh once said he knew nothing with certainty, though the sight of stars made him dream.
Perhaps never before has taking a deep dive into the life of van Gogh felt more appropriate.
Paintings of the Dutch postimpressionist artist, who posthumously became one of the most famous people in the history of Western art, are set to impress Wellingtonians in the hit multisensory immersive experience Van Gogh Alive , which opens at TSB Arena today.
‘‘Hopefully people come out with a sense of awe, a sense of history,’’ said Live Nation New Zealand managing director Mark Kneebone.
While the capital has already witnessed van Gogh’s swirling paintings outdoors with the Covid-restricted Digital Nights, which ran in August among shipping containers at Odlins Plaza, Van Gogh Alive – the mostvisited multi-sensory exhibition in the world – is meant to be experienced indoors.
The exhibition combines giant projections of van Gogh’s works with music, three-dimensional models, and almond blossom scent (in a nod to his group of paintings of the same name) to immerse audiences deep in the mind and life of the artist.
‘‘It’s about taking people’s breath away, as well as educating and inspiring ... It’s that sense of wonder that will translate from age 3 through to 93,’’ Kneebone said. ‘‘This was never about just seeing pictures on a wall, or images changing over – it’s about full engagement, taking the patron into the full experience.
‘‘It’s all about trying to displace people from everyday reality and putting them into themind of an artistic master.’’
Van Gogh Alive has sold as many tickets on its first exhibition day in Wellington as it did through the whole of last year’s Digital Nights, Kneebone said.
The exhibition reflects van Gogh’s life in many ways – historical elements like timelines and explainer panels give context to paintings, while a threedimensional model room and sunflower-filled mirrored hall put audiences inside the artist’s troubled but brilliant mind.
While plaques in museums and galleries tell stories on the sides of artworks, Van Gogh Alive tries to communicate his life in amore tactile way, Kneebone said.
‘‘You can get your head around it – it’s moving in front of you at all different angles. I think that’s why it’s so important.’’
In a decade of work, van Gogh created about 2100 pieces of art, including about 860 oil paintings. Most were made in the last two years of his life.
He’s known for his paintings of still life, landscapes, as well as portraits and self-portraits. Van Gogh used impulsive, dramatic brushwork and bold colours, but he was not commercially successful while alive.
He died in France, aged 37, by suicide.
Van Gogh Alive runs in Wellington until January 28. Tickets from Ticketmaster.