Earlier in the summer, my FaceBook feed started filling up with people posing next to larger than life metal sunflowers and gigantic paint cans and brushes. Everyone I knew seemed to be visiting the Immersive Van Gogh exhibit, a traveling show that has visited such cities as Paris, Chicago and Los Angeles. In Charlotte, it is located in trendy Camp North End. Running through early 2022, ticket prices vary based on demand and start at $39.99 for adults ($24.99 for kids), although the “cheap” tickets were very hard to come by and typically only available in the middle of the day during the week.
After wandering around a little through Camp North End, we found the entrance to the exhibit. The Van Gogh inspired artwork began before we even got inside, with brightly painted picnic tables, posts and doors decorating the outside of the building.
The exhibit is housed in a former Ford factory, and there are a lot of nods to the building’s history, from signs explaining the Ford offices-turned-bathroom-pods to a restored 1926 Model T on display. I didn’t know anything about Camp North End or the area’s history so I found the entrance area to be really interesting.
There were lots of cool photo ops in the entrance area, which is open to the public (non-ticket holders). Sculptures of sunflowers and painting supplies are spread throughout the area, and several giant murals adorn the walls.
And the exhibit’s pun game was strong!
One feature unique to the Charlotte exhibit is the addition of “artists in residence”. Ten local artists were given the opportunity to setup a studio area outside the gift shop, where they could work and showcase their art. My oldest enjoyed checking out their original works as much as the actual exhibit.
The exhibit itself is in a huge open room where images are projected on the walls and floor. After entering the room, you’ll choose a bench or chair located within circles projected on the floor. I’m not certain whether this was for pandemic social-distancing or to give everyone a good view of the entire room, but it did maximize everyone’s viewing opportunity and allowed you to turn in any direction you wanted to view the various images.
This exhibit is so much more than a series of still images of Van Gogh’s most famous works. His works come to life as they are literally brushed onto the screens around you. You can watch them go from sketches to complete paintings before your eyes. The soundtrack created by Luca Longobardi perfectly synchronized with the images moving across the room and really added to the overall experience.
When they call the exhibit “immersive”, they are not exaggerating. You are literally surrounded by – and sometimes covered by – the projections. The floor is as much a part of the exhibit as the walls, and your fellow patrons will often have splashes of color blanketing them.
Although there is a start and an end to the 35 minute show, it runs on a continuous loop and you can join at any point and stay for as long as you want. We came in towards the end of one loop and stayed through the whole next showing to get the full experience. There is no time limit on how long you can stay.
While this is a truly unique experience, it is not for everyone. It can be loud and bright, causing sensory overload for some people. And for others, it just isn’t their cup of tea. My oldest thought it was a little strange but enjoyed it. My youngest thought it was very strange and did not. He liked the sculptures and murals outside the exhibit much more than the exhibit itself. He also really didn’t know what to expect at all and had gone into the experience expecting to learn something about Van Gogh, but this was not a typical educational museum experience at all. I would recommend this for teens and up who are mature and open-minded enough to appreciate unique and non-traditional art experiences.
