SEATTLE — After months of delays, Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience has come to life in Seattle.
The exhibit has been wildly popular with audiences in London, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and several other major cities.
The Seattle version of the Immersive Experience is a 44,000-square-foot light and sound spectacular featuring two-story projections of the artist’s most compelling works.
Bill Vipond of the SODO Arena group was approached about leasing his dormant warehouse space for venue.
“This is a part of the property we are hoping to develop to bring the NBA back to Seattle but until then we are looking for tenants and this is a win-win situation that brings arts and culture back to Seattle," he said. "It’s great see the city coming to life again.”
The space, specifically the height of the warehouse, is ideal for the immersive experience as it’s designed to present the work of Van Gogh in 360 degrees.
Tracy Schiller, the director of operations for Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience, said she’s confident Seattle will find the exhibit worth the wait.
“Guests can expect about a 90-minute journey into Van Gogh’s most famous paintings and in many cases you can walk right in to the paintings," she said. "There’s a virtual reality experience and an area where you can color your own work. But our crown jewel would be the immersive room with 30-foot ceilings and projects of 200 of Vincent’s most famous painting.”
For the socially distanced minded — the organizers have gone to great lengths to make it a COVID-safe and family-friendly experience. Finding a suitably sized venue was key. The experience is all digital and organizers say the content is suitable for a wide audience.
In addition to a spacious central area where Van Gogh’s works stretch floor-to-ceiling, the experience includes separate galleries that chronicle his life, technique, and influence through informative panels, larger than life re-creations and engaging interactives.
The much anticipated Van Gogh Immersive experience opened it doors in SODO Wednesday and is expected to run six months to a year.