“…Finds as much beauty as possible, most people find very little of what is beautiful” – this sentence is part of a letter sent to Theo van Gogh, in London, in 1874. It was written by Vincent van Gogh and reproduces not only the essence of his art, but also of the exhibition Beyond Van Gogh. In the immersive experience, there is not a single space lacking in beauty and charm. Thus, the mission of “finding as much beauty as possible” is easily accomplished.
Beyond van Gogh began its availability on March 17th and will remain until July third, 2022, with opening hours from ten am to nine pm from Monday to Saturday and from ten am to seven pm on Sundays. After the final date of exhibition, the show travels to Park Shopping, in the Federal District, staying for three months there. In addition, between April sixth and June fifth, 2022, “Casa França-Brasil”, in downtown Rio de Janeiro, also receives the opportunity to “get in” Van Gogh’s canvases, in another mold, while maintaining the artistic soul of the experience.
The spectator from Rio de Janeiro, Layla Rodrigues, 20, confirms that it was worth making part of her time in the state of São Paulo available to check out the wonders of Van Gogh: “what makes this experience unique is the sum of the immersive experience with the feeling it goes through. you don’t want to leave there, want to live there, spend the whole afternoon, because it’s a good feeling, the mixture of the works with the effects, the music (…) it was really worth it”.
The museology student at UNIRIO was not the only one to be enchanted by the exhibition considered a World Heritage of Art; the dentist Lara Lemes, 23, reports: “The exhibition is worth seeing, it was an incredible experience, feeling the sensation of being inside the work, in addition to getting to know its history more closely! It was the most amazing literature class I have ever had!”
Beyond van Gogh, is now located in the South Zone of São Paulo, at Roque Petroni Júnior Avenue, number 1089. Morumbi Shopping, the space where the show resides, filled all the floors of the building with posters, both for publicity and to help with the finding of the place. Upon arriving there, each step is already part of the immersive experience: the visitor walks through a corridor with lights whose colors change, admiring walls with works that already refer to what will be found further inside.
After the official admission, tears of emotion can dominate the body of anyone who was immersed in the life of the Dutch painter. A curtain with images of sunflowers welcomes the audience, directing them to a large room, with canvases that combine paintings and text. The written part is integrated both by phrases written by Vincent, in letters to his brother, Theo van Gogh, and by excerpts that tell his story. The lamentable trajectory of the painter who sold just one painting while he was alive and died being considered crazy, can touche the heart of those who circulate there.
The painter’s trademark, the sunflowers, ends the route in this environment and takes visitors to the most expected main hall. Lights and mirrors accompany a garden with the yellow flowers, captivating everyone who passes by, and providing the perfect opportunity for a picture.
Upon arriving at the immersive experience space, projectors reflect the artist paintings throughout the environment, along with a selection of music compatible with what is currently shown. The Starry Night, Self-portrait, WheatField with Crows, Lilies, Almond Blossom and Starry Night on the Rhone are just some of the works scattered on the walls of the place. “Certainly the most beautiful was the last session, with a very large space with projection images of Van Gogh’s works and life”, says the visitor Tania Li, 27, who was impressed with the final session of the show.
It is worth mentioning that the works are combined with image dynamics, such as the flowers falling apart with the wind and the starry night, gradually building, which deliver an aspect of more emotion to the spectator, motivated by the expectation of knowing what will be the next work to admire, regardless of which corner you are.
Before leaving the exhibition site, the public has access to the “Café Van Gogh”, which is stylized according to the painter’s aesthetic and offers a menu with drinks inspired by his most famous paintings.
It is not difficult to see that Beyond van Gogh seduces the eyes and soul of most of the fans, but there are two aspects that did not please the public so much and deserve to be discussed: the capacity and the price. “The value was quite okay (…), the only thing that bothered me was the fact that it was very crowded, I imagined it would be more empty, having better control of the people”, says Layla. “About the price, I believe that during the week it is more worth it, especially for those who have the option of half price. The full price is a little overpriced, and over the weekend I found the price very expensive (practically double the value)”, completes the worker with accounting sciences, Tania Li.
Currently, the price of tickets varies between $8,55 (half ticket for the day period) and $21,36 (full ticket for the night period), in traditional sessions. In this value, it is important to pay attention to the time, since the demand for visits is high, and accessing the exhibition at rush times can make it difficult to admire the big screens. There are also other sales categories, belonging to the VIP Experience: VIP EXPERIENCE: INDIVIDUAL TICKET, VIP EXPERIENCE VAN GOGH AS A DUO: DOUBLE TICKET, VIP EXPERIENCE VAN GOGH FOR KIDS: DOUBLE TICKET, VIP EXPERIENCE ART IN MOVEMENT (CLASS): INDIVIDUAL TICKET and VIP EXPERIENCE COFFEE WITH ART: INDIVIDUAL TICKET. Each of these options has addendums that differentiate the experience, parallel to an increase in its price, which start at $44,87.
Despite the high cost, people are still saving up time to enjoy the unique experience of immersing themselves in the works of Vincent Van Gogh. So, let’s ask the question that doesn’t want to shut up: is it worth it? According to our viewers, it’s worth it! “Whoever has the opportunity to go, will not regret it”, says Lara Lemes. Another exhibition fan, Letícia Matsushita, adds: “I would pay even more for the experience! It was impressive! Much more than I expected!”, demonstrating that the price will not be an obstacle to delving into the authentic brushstrokes of the Dutchman.
Now it’s the time: open the LivePass website, choose the best date and guarantee your ticket, because it’s not every day that you have the opportunity to admire the starry night sky of our dear Van Gogh live!
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The article above was edited by Lorena Lindenberg.
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