It is said that great art stems from pain as broken souls dive into their minds, finding new ways of expressing themselves. The emotional torment exits their bodies though fingertips, leaving traces of tranquility on the canvas. Van Gogh’s ethereal painting :”The Starry Night” remains the greatest evidence to this idea that depicts the human mind’s capability of creation, even in, and especially during turmoil. Painted in the Saint-Paul-de-Mausole asylum in Saint-Rémy, in southern France where Van Gogh spent twelve months escaping from his mental illness. This masterpiece, inspired by the view from his window at night, is both, a self-reflection of his disease and a clear departure from it.
The painting depicts how modern art has embraced mood, expression, symbol, and sentiment- something that makes it so popular amongst the youth, also known as the GenZ and Millennials.
So much so, the painting is considered “cool” and copies of it can be seen on tote bags, t-shirts, journals and even phone covers! (Trust me I have a miniature version of it at the back of my android)
In order to commemorate the artists’ legacy and give people an immersive experience of the rich, art culture, the Van Gogh 360° has come to India with larger-than-life projections of at least 300 of his most definitive artworks at the World Trade Center from 20 January to 17 February 2023. The exhibition is not like regular art fairs, it is an indulging experience where visitors are taken into a captivating journey of the post-impressionist artist and his paintings. Here, it’s not just the visuals, the viewers will experience auditory, tactile, and emotional events during the show.
‘Pain’ting an experience from the 1800s into 2023
The immersive experience is divided into two rooms. The first room is a travel back in time to Van Gogh’s early life where he started discovering his passion for art. There is a number of paintings, each attached with an anecdote from his emotional torments throughout his life. Answering questions about his traumatic life, the inspiration behind his paintings, his closeness with his younger brother to his relationship with his mental illness – the gallery stimulates an ocean of emotions. The exhibition will also make you wonder how someone can despise their talent and think of their greatest and the most ethereal artwork as a failure as Van Gogh once wrote to his brother about Starry Night saying “All in all the only things I consider a little good in it are the Wheatfield, the Mountain, the Orchard, the Olive trees with the blue hills and the Portrait and the Entrance to the quarry, and the rest says nothing to me.”
Following this, a small walk will transport you into a room of Van Gogh’s world. The entire space is a 360-degree view of his paintings depicting some of his best works with somber music for 45-minutes. After the starry end of the show, the room opens to a small space with several Van Gogh souvenirs that you can pick up when you leave the place with your ideas and emotions about his suffering. Altogether, whether you are an admirer of art or not, this exhibition will please your senses and invoke several emotions within you.
Venue: Sahakar, Centre-1, 31st Floor WTC Complex 314, UB Aura, A Rd, Cuffe Parade, Mumbai
Date: January 20 – February 17
Timings: 10:00 am – 9:00 pm
Prices: INR 999 to INR 1,399 depending on the time and the day you book your slot
