![]() ![]() ![]() Beyond van Gogh: The Immersive Experience Starry Night Pavilion at Circuit of the Americas, 9201 Circuit of the Americas Blvd.TULSA, Okla. For all its laziness and gratuity, we can't blame the exhibitionists for their efforts – after all, a year of isolation can certainly leave one clamoring for immersion, no matter what the cost. It could definitely be an enjoyable experience for a younger audience, eager to engage directly with the artwork. To step into van Gogh's world, shouldn't we be willing to first look past mere aesthetics in the form of flashing lights?Īs an introduction to van Gogh (although the artist needing an introduction at all is hard to imagine), "Beyond Van Gogh" does a fine job. This venture to transition van Gogh's timelessness into modernity is very much an act of chasing one's own tail, as the goal of the exhibition feels contradictory in nature. Consider the short-lived trend of selling NFTs, which earlier this year essentially turned novelty and bragging rights into a million-dollar branch of the art-dealing industry. This desire to shove traditional art, kicking and screaming, into the digital age, is not a singular one. If it looks like a lazy cash grab, and it quacks like a lazy cash grab, then, well. These are added costs to exhibit entry, which can range anywhere between $37 to $64 for a single adult ticket (unless, of course, you choose to fill in your name and Instagram handle for promotional tickets on their website under the header "Calling All Influencers"). Inside, they sell the kinds of trinkets you can find also at an Urban Outfitters: a Starry Night mug a sunflower T-shirt an art book designed to be seen but not opened. The end of the self-guided tour leads to the most important stop: the van Gogh store. It seems more like an automated collage of the artist's work strung together by similar subjects: nature scenery, then portraiture, then flower studies. Much like the beginning of the exhibit, it is hard to piece together a storyline or theme to the film. The walls also seem to blow in the wind, making the animation of the scenery paintings feel jerky, inspiring a bit of motion sickness. The projection is very choppy, as you can see along the walls where the image has been cut off and then pasted again without seaming the edges together. It is meant to make you feel that you have walked inside of a painting, but instead feels more like you have walked into one of those animated desktop screensavers that make your computer look like a fish tank. The main draw of the exhibit is a 360° projection of a film that consists of a stream of van Gogh paintings, quotes, and animatics. ![]() ![]() Portrait frames float in front of the projected informational cards to give the effect of a painting, but some are obscured by pillars that cut into the middle of the room in front of the frames, which make reading literally impossible. Unfortunately, the effect is dulled by the blast of the symphonic music overhead, which makes reading feel impossible. This commentary and historical background, while not revelatory, are at least educational. "Beyond Van Gogh" utilizes letters sent from Vincent to his brother, Theo, to give a bit of context to the relationship to the brothers and Vincent's inner monologue. The more redeeming aspect is the expository section, which gives a rudimentary and succinct introduction to van Gogh's work and life. As you venture into the exhibit, you're met with neon sunflowers and moons and a sign that greets you with the classic: "I dream my painting and I paint my dream." While a very flowery and oft-repeated quote, it is unclear how this connects to the larger goal of the exhibit, which is to "go beyond the myth, beyond the images, to venture into the work itself." One gets the feeling that the point is not to encourage deeper inspection, but to push yet another barrier between you and the work in the form of your iPhone camera. It is difficult to extract a digestible theme for the experience. One gets the feeling that the point is not to encourage deeper inspection of van Gogh’s paintings, but to push yet another barrier between you and the work in the form of your iPhone camera. ![]()
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