Beyond Van Gogh’s immersive exhibit will be on displace at Del Mar Fairgrounds through March 6. PHOTO BY PAQUIN ENTERTAINMENT GROUP

On Jan. 14, an exhibit on the renowned and widely beloved artist Vincent Van Gogh opened at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. However, this exhibit does not display any original Van Gogh paintings but instead is an immersive experience created with floor to ceiling moving projections of his works.

“The purpose of this exhibit is to go beyond the legend,” said Fanny Curtat, art historian and curator for the exhibit. “It connects the 21st century to this 19th-century artist.”

Van Gogh is known for the darkness in his life even though his work, so expressive and full of color, contradicts that. He famously only sold one painting in his lifetime but if he simply had lived longer, Curtat claimed, he would have found success alongside his fellow Post-Impressionists who were all struggling artists at one point. This exhibit wants to tell a story that goes beyond the tragic aspects of his life that Van Gogh is known for.

The exhibit begins with an education room. It has a series of panels that recount Van Gogh’s life, including several of his optimistic quotes from letters to his brother Theo. Theo Van Gogh died only six months after his brother and it was his wife, Johanna Van Gogh-Bonger, who decided to publish their correspondence and eventually translated them into English.

“She is the unsung hero of all this,” Curtat said. She recognized her late brother-in-law’s genius, fought for his work to be seen, and is now credited for his fame.

The immersive experience begins with the Waterfall Room, where swirls of colors drip from the ceiling to the floor. This lets visitors know they are not about to enter a typical exhibit.

Van Gogh was chosen to have his work displayed this way because “it is already moving,”’ Curtat said.

The main room cycles through more than 300 of Van Gogh’s works; the floor and ceiling change completely so it feels as if you are literally in “Starry Night” or “Wheatfield with Crows.” At other times, you are surrounded by his beautiful floral work, his expressive portraits, or the subtly moving and blinking faces of Van Gogh himself. The stunning visuals are accompanied by music and quotes from Van Gogh read aloud in several languages.

“This is not a replacement for a traditional art exhibit,” Curtat said. “This is a complement. People spend an average of 10 seconds in front of a painting.”

The goal of “Beyond Van Gogh” is to see his work differently and inspire people to appreciate traditional art exhibits as well.

When asked what Van Gogh would think of the exhibit, Curtat said: “It’s hard to say. It would be very overwhelming for him. He struggled with what little fame he had during his lifetime.”

But the other aspect – sharing with the world how he captured the healing quality of nature – that he would have loved. The exhibit itself was created during the pandemic. In a way, it is fitting that Van Gogh was chosen who, despite his demons, created so much beauty.

“He was capable of painting “Stary Night” while living in an asylum,” Curtat said. “He transcended the hardship of life through his art.”

BEYOND VAN GOGH

Where: Wyland Center at Del Mar Fairgrounds, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd.

Hours: Mondays-Thursdays 10 a.m.-10 p.m. (last entry 9 p.m.), Fridays and Saturdays 10 a.m.-11 p.m. (last entry 10 p.m.), Sundays 10 a.m.-10 p.m. (last entry 9 p.m.) through March 6.

Info: vangoghsandiego.com