Escapees September-October 2022

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Beyond Van Gogh The Immersive Experience

and ceiling. Wow! Now, that was interesting. I immedi ately Googled to fi nd out where this amazing exhibition was being held. It was mostly in the Northeast, with a few shows in Miami, and another set in Chicago and Cleveland. Well, this was probably a year ago, and I wasn't near any of those locations. I have continued to check the locations and last fall they announced it was coming Sarasota, Florida. That drive was doable. I imme diately got on line and purchased tickets. It is amazing! “Beyond Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience” uses digital technology to transport you, the viewer, into the artist’s world. It’s the brainchild of Mathieu St-Arnaud and his team at Montreal’s Normal Studio, along with art historian Fanny Curtat. Their shows have been seen across North America and Europe. When you enter the exhibit, you walk up and down three isles reading of Van Gogh's early life up to his death. At one time, he was going to be a preacher. He and his brother always had con fl ict but loved each other. He was very dark and depressed. Everyone knows of the

I was raised in a two-street town with a lot of “country culture” and no art culture. We read about museums but were never steered in that direction. My impression of a museum was “stu ff y." During my fresh man year in college I had to take an art history class and, I have to admit, I thought “what a waste of time,” and I really can’t say I learned anything. However, I did love looking at the colors and “interpreting the dream in my head.” F ast forward 50 years later, I was watching 60 Minutes on TV and they did this amazing piece on an exhibition called: Beyond Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience . It showed art as a video or a movie. It was moving and blending on the walls, fl oor

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ESCAPEES Magazine September/October 2022