SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — After much anticipation, The Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit opens Thursday in Scottsdale at Lighthouse Artspace.
The first week is sold out but there are still plenty of tickets left for you and your family!
"People can expect the unexpected," Co-producer Diana Rayzman said. "This is a new and immersive way of looking at art, it brings you inside the artistic mind through a journey."
Rayzman said Scottsdale is the ninth city to host the exhibit that's sweeping the nation.
"It’s a very psychological journey, a different way of viewing his art through technology."
The show uses 15 miles of cable. If we were to lay them out, they would reach from Scottsdale to Chandler!
"Once you walk into the projection and the show, it's really an emotional journey through the beginning dark moments in his life and it takes you backward to his work," Rayzman said.
Walking through this 3-D floor-to-ceiling experience, you'll find excerpts of Van Goghs' letters, most of which were addressed to his brother.
"We created a reflective room," Rayzman explained. "Van Gogh wrote thousands of letters in his lifetime and that’s how we know about his life and we see the inner workings of his mind and through the reflection you see his world descending into chaos."
The galleries showcase sunflowers, starry nights and shadows: a metaphor for his life.
"We see people break down in tears," Rayzman said of the emotions this art evokes. "This year, in particular, has been a challenging year for most of us so to be able to see the work of someone who really suffered with mental issues and mental illness and see the beauty that came out of that, I think that triggers something in people and they react in an emotional way."
She said it's also a kid-friendly experience.
"On the flip side of that we have a lot of children here, the bright colors and the music gets them up and dancing," she added.
There’s even an ode to Old Town Scottsdale.
"We wanted to pay tribute to City of Scottsdale so we have a moment in the show that is sort of an imagining of what Van Gogh may have painted if he had visited this beautiful part of the world," Rayzman said.
Construction and COVID-related delays caused some mix-ups but doors officially open Thursday.
"If anyone had tickets for dates that had to be rescheduled, they should’ve received an email," Rayzman stated. "Sometimes it goes into spam so check your spam folder or you can also go to the box office and we will help you."
Tickets are on sale now with available dates through November. There are COVID-19 safety protocols in place. You're required to wear a mask and social distance.
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