WS Chronicle

JUDIE HOLCOMB-PACK 

THE CHRONICLE 

 After a delayed opening day and several closed days due to technical issues, Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience is now open and welcoming art lovers and enthusiastic crowds. The 360° projections of Van Gogh’s art in a large open room, accompanied by the surrounding sounds of relaxing music, offer a welcome escape from the stress of political debate and the 24/7 news cycle.

This summer marks 135 years since the death of Vincent van Gogh, one of history’s most brilliant yet misunderstood artists. Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience offers an in-depth reflection on his life, struggles and legacy. Van Gogh died at age 37, having sold only one painting in his lifetime, “The Red Vineyard.”  

During his lifetime, Van Gogh’s emotional and mental health struggles were deeply misunderstood and ultimately led to his tragic death by suicide. Today, his story is part of a broader conversation about mental health, and this exhibition invites visitors to reflect on how creativity can serve as both an outlet for pain and a window into the inner self.  

Van Gogh’s art, once overlooked, now stands as a universal symbol of beauty, vulnerability, and the healing power of expression. His works inspire millions – an extraordinary reminder of how recognition and fame sometimes do not align with your lifetime.

This award-winning exhibition invites visitors to step inside Van Gogh’s world through stunning 360° projections, virtual reality, and audio excerpts from letters written to his brother, Theo. Some of his most iconic works like “Sunflowers,” “The Starry Night,” and “Café Terrace at Night” are featured through projections of his art.  

To view the entire exhibition and the 360° projections experience takes about 60 – 90 minutes. There is also an opportunity to view his art through virtual reality glasses lasting about 10-15 minutes. With the VR glasses, you are drawn into his art as it moves around you, so close you feel like you could reach out and touch the horse-drawn carriage going past you on the street, the young man shooting pool, or even take a seat in the café.

John Zaller is executive producer of Exhibition Hub’s Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience. He is a mastermind in the immersive art movement as an award-winning curator of immersive edutainment exhibitions that he uses to engage the next generation of museum goers through audio and visual storytelling and active engagement.
Van Gogh: An Immersive Experience will run Thursdays through Mondays throughout the month of July at 1612 S. Stratford Road in the former Joann’s Fabric warehouse. Tickets are available at 30-minute intervals beginning at 10 a.m. and ending at 5:30 p.m., the last admission time. For tickets, go to https://vangoghexpo.com and click on the Tickets tab. 

The immersion experience will continue through January 31, 2026, with new experiences to replace Van Gogh sometime in the future. Under consideration is the Titanic experience, among others. Follow their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/vangogh.experience or check back on the website at https://vangoghexpo.com/winston-salem/ to see future offerings. For more information on all the immersive experiences, visit https://exhibitionhub.com/.