Calling all StageSider’s! Pull up a deck chair, look up at the starry night sky and unwind as the review of the Van Gogh Experience is about to begin.
Hello everyone, I hope you are all well and staying safe. Recently, on the 12th August, I ventured out of my house… To another city… To enjoy some art and leisure activities. I know, ground breaking and completely wild.
My family and I went to York for a day out. Being inside, like most have, for almost a year and a half, we decided we needed a change of scenery.
We visited the Van Gogh Experience which was taking place at St Mary’s Church in York City Centre. We got our tickets on Groupon (Available here) for £13 each. I must admit, it was added on to the end of the day last minute. But boy am I glad we went here.
The Experience.
Arriving at the experience at 5pm (our pre booked slot), we were greeted and shown to an open plan room. The continuous loop projection had just reset and so we only missed 10 seconds off the start. We were told we could stay as long as we wanted in the room. Guests are told they can experience it as many times as they wanted. We saw it all the way through once and then stayed for another half of a cycle. The ‘Train’ section of the piece was just stunning. Without giving too much away, I think this section of the projection is the most immersive and interactive. On the day we visited, the piece had some help from the weather. The rather breezy weather outside added natural-special effects that made the piece feel so much more immersive.
The History of Vincent.
The experience takes you through the history of Vincent (as I learned he did not want to be called Van Gogh… ironically) and his paintings. The experience brings these works of art to life, in more ways than simply adding transitions or misty effects. Elements of the paintings move, come to life and sounds/speech layered on top of orchestral arrangements really bring these images to life.
Unfortunately, only some of the most famous paintings were shown and brought to life. It would have been nice to see some obscure or abstract works that he had completed. The history section of the experience stated he worked on various techniques and styles. To be able to see some Van Gogh art that was not easily accessed on google, would have been amazing. However, the movement of each painting, the musical score and the transitions made the pieces feel new. The main exhibition lasts around 35 minutes and runs on a continuous loop, with some rather jarring transitions. In some places the projection seems to jump. Just like an old DVD player or VHS tape used to, in the good old days. This led to a few clunky moments but nothing too drastic or detrimental.
Visual obstruction or beautiful building?
There were also rather large obstructions in the area, from the beautiful building it was being presented in. This may seem like an odd thing to point out and rather petty. But there are moments that are not visible if you are sitting in certain spots around the room. Having said that, I have seen images of the installation in Leicester and it seems to be completely smooth. The ceiling of the building in leicester also seems to be included more in the piece too.
Looking at this in a positive way, I thought the beauty of the building was brought into the piece to meet the beauty of the art. I simply say that some moments are not visible to make you aware and potentially point you towards seats in the middle (or stay for multiple viewings and change where you are sat to take it all in).
In moments like the portrait development, you would need to move around the venue to new seats each time. Or you would have to sit in the middle of the room from the beginning and try catch it all in one go.
Virtual Reality Add-on
In another part of the church, there was a small walkway with VR headsets in. These contained more works of art and another immersive experience. We did not get to experience these as there was a surcharge to use them, which was £3 per person. This may not sound like alot to some people, but this was just short of another ticket, if all 4 of us were to take part. In hindsight I wish I had stopped and paid the fee but I do think £13 per person is enough to see a projection piece and a VR experience.
Fun Fact Sheets.
After the exhibition, there are a few fact sheets with fun facts and longer texts, giving insight on Vincent’s life and his works. These were very interesting, however I would have maybe put those before the main presentation as I then had to think back and try to remember what I had seen, as a one way route was put in place meaning I could not go back into the main room.
The Verdict.
Overall, for something that was an add on to the end of a day, this experience was one of the highlights of the day. Fun, different and quirky… What more can you ask for. Yes the VR should have been included, in my opinion, but that doesn’t take away from the main piece and it did not negatively impact us in a drastic way, it just made us wish we had done it.
I would personally recommend this, if you enjoy art or history. It was fun and interesting, and was a very new experience for me.
Artistically and in terms of the experience I would say this is a brilliant day out. I would, however, say that the VR should be included in the price and that would make it so much better.
I am unsure of whether this is safe for those with photosensitive epilepsy or other visual/light triggered medical conditions. Please seek the assistance of the organisers for this information
Terms and Conditions.
All photos presented in this review were taken by me, after getting permission from Front of House staff to take them. Header Image is taken from Ticketmaster (Available here). If any individuals in the images wish for their face to be blurred or removed from the images, please do get in touch.
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