You're actually stepping inside the paintings
Vincent Van Gogh’s art will come to life this summer, thanks to a one-of-a-kind exhibit experience
This July and August, “Beyond Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience” will make its Canadian debut at Calgary’s BMO Centre for a limited run.
You’ve never seen Van Gogh like this before. Projection, music and narration will transform the centre into a rich landscape featuring over 300 of Van Gogh’s works.
Opening July 30 and running through the end of August, this immersive art exhibit breathes new life into Van Gogh’s iconic works, including “The Starry Night”, “Sunflowers” and “Cafe Terrace at Night.” No longer paintings on the wall of a museum, Van Gogh’s paintings transform into larger-thanlife projections that bathe the space in light, colour and sound.
Created by Creative Director Mathieu St-arnaud and his team at the Montreal-based Normal Studio, the exhibit brings together cutting-edge technology and Van Gogh’s works to create a captivating experience that St-arnaud calls a “dream gallery.”
St-arnaud, who worked with Calgary’s Annerin Exhibits to bring the experience to Calgary, says he was inspired to re-introduce Van Gogh’s works to audiences who might know the paintings but haven’t had a chance to experience them in person.
“We all know Van Gogh; he’s a worldwide phenomenon,”
he says, “But not a lot of people have seen actual Van Gogh paintings, so we don’t stop and consider, ‘How do we feel when we’re in front of these works? How do they resonate?’ ”
Founded in 2009, Normal Studio fuses creativity and technology to develop immersive theatre, dance and art experiences. Their boundary-pushing multimedia productions transform ordinary spaces into works of art.
Home to world-renowned AV designers, Normal Studio transports audiences through projection, sound design and music.
Cinematic Van Gogh exhibitions are popular across Europe and have recently made
their way to North America to great acclaim. Normal Studio and Annerin have taken this trend to new heights and crafted a truly original experience for guests.
Van Gogh’s unique use of colour and swirling brushstrokes lends his work well to
audio-visual adaptation. Entering the exhibit, you are immersed in a wash of colours and light that transform the centre into a dreamscape.
Just by stepping into the exhibition space, guests experience Van Gogh’s iconic artwork as it traverses over
the walls and floors in vibrant colour. This expansive projection experience zooms in on the famous
paintings, expanding guest’s appreciation for the depth of colour and texture in Van Gogh’s work.
“I say Starry Night, and you think blue. When you look closely, it’s half green. How he played with colours — it’s mesmerizing,” St-arnaud says.
Every sense is engaged as guests move through the space and experience Van Gogh’s work in three dimensions.
“You’re actually stepping inside the paintings,” St-arnaud explains. “We go into his world and imagine when he was painting Starry Night, what was going on behind him?”
For more than 100 years, Van Gogh’s artwork has resonated with people across the globe. St-arnaud believes that Van Gogh’s unique ability to tap into the emotional experience of humanity means his work can connect with people across languages and cultures.
“He managed to communicate through his paintings, through his colours, in a way that we all understand.”
Born in The Netherlands in 1853, Vincent Van Gogh is
one of the most instantly recognizable artists in the modern world. He created an impressive body of work, comprised of hundreds of paintings in his signature style. Known for his tortured soul and unique artistic vision, Van Gogh provides a rich catalogue of work to craft this expansive exhibit around.
“You get to actually go behind the painting and meet Vincent,” St-arnaud says.
The man behind the legend of Van Gogh is as central to the exhibit as his paintings. Through readings of Van Gogh’s writings in English, Dutch and French set to a symphonic score, guests get to know Vincent as well as his paintings.
“We think of Van Gogh as one of the best artists ever, but he was also a simple man with his own struggles,” Starnaud says.
The exhibit is a great opportunity to introduce a new generation to Van Gogh’s masterpieces. This experience will engage the whole family as guests journey through Van Gogh’s life and art. Starnaud says a little nourishment for the soul is just what people need these days.
“A little healing power from Van Gogh would be nice for everybody right now.”
To learn more about Beyond Van Gogh, including how to purchase tickets, visit