Entering the exhibit, we began the Van Gogh Experience with a colorful room of timelines, artwork, and 3D statues of Vincent Van Gogh. We learned of the important dates and people in his life. He was born on March 30, 1853, in the Netherlands. He had one beloved brother, Théo Van Gogh, and his three sisters, all significant to retainingVan Gogh’s works. Others significant in Van Gogh’s life include his friend and fellow painter Paul Gaugin, who was involved in Van Gogh’s widely known tragic incident of injuring his own ear.
The characteristics of Van Gogh’s art reflected his personal traits. His paintings bore the mark of his mental illness. Additionally, his use of bright colors is the result of his color blindness. His paintings also depicted symbolic meanings, particularly “Starry Night Over the Rhône.” By contrasting the brightness of man-made light against the night sky light, he delivers the message of the brightness of mankind. Van Gogh was deeply inspired by Japonisme, or the concepts and influence of Japanese art on European artists. He created many artworks reflecting Japonisme including “Flowering Plum Orchard: After Hiroshige.” His fondness for Japanese print, he once wrote, made him happy and cheerful.
One of Van Gogh’s most well-known paintings is the post-impressionistic masterpiece “Starry Night” which depicts the view from his asylum room at Saint-Rémy de-Provence. It is talked about in a video documentary playing in the gallery. Van Gogh’s “Sunflowers” is one of his most famous works. It is often thought to be one painting, but it is, in fact, a group of multiple paintings collectively named “Sunflowers.” Van Gogh managed to sell only one painting in his lifetime. Now, a majority of Van Gogh’s paintings are in museums, but a precious few are with a few private collectors.
As we stepped into a large room that illustrated his paintings with projected light, it was as if we dreamt of stepping into the realm of Van Gogh’s art. The exhibit also had an amazing virtual reality experience that made us feel like we were inside his paintings. It illustrated his room and life in Arles, France.
At the end of our experience, we walked out with memorabilia from the gift shop. Experiencing this magnificent gallery of Van Gogh’s artwork was memorable, educational and inspiring.
