Yes…that van Gogh. Vincent himself.

My wife surprised me last week with the news she had obtained tickets and we were going  to Phoenix to see the van Gogh Immersive Experience. We drove up from Tucson and I must say it indeed was quite an experience and well worth the drive. If you walked in without prior knowledge of what was coming you might conclude you were suffering an acid flashback from the 60s as one is surrounded by animated and rippling videos of van Gogh paintings which seem to come alive. I do mean surrounded: walls, ceiling, and floors continuously display the videos while soft music is played. So yes, completely immersive.

It was, however, more than a “simple” light show. The animation really brought the paintings to life; it added motion to van Gogh’s famously swirling brush strokes. I’ll forever see this swirling phenomenon when looking at his actual paintings. Flowers, haystacks, stars swayed before our eyes as the images flowed into each other. I have to wonder if the painter, who is thought to have become genuinely insane during his later years, actually saw in his mind’s eye this motion as the Experience depicts. Haunting to think so.

I encourage all to sample this Experience. I assume it will have most appeal to those who appreciate van Gogh but I do not feel that is a necessary prerequisite. Give it a shot but be aware there is competition for tickets and a wait may be necessary.