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You are not wrong if you are thinking you already read a Van Gogh article recently on RainyDayMagazine.

We had attended a Van Gogh event last November, but weirdly enough, a similar but different exhibit opened in Boston shortly after. Naturally, we were curious to how this one would compare!

Imagine Van Gogh: SoWa Power Station

Imagine Van Gogh: The Immersive Exhibition bills itself as “the original Van Gogh immersive exhibition featuring more than 200 of the Dutch artist’s paintings.”

Annabelle Mauger and Julien Baron are the creative forces behind the creation of this Van Gogh experience. The two are renowned for their work at Cathédrale d’Images (the Cathedral of Images) in Les Baux-de-Provence, France.

The idea of projecting images to immerse the viewer was conceived and developed by Albert Plecy in the 1970s. Mayger and Baron’s use of “projection mapping” is an evolution of Plecy’s “topo-projection” ideas and techniques to create the original “total immersion” experience of the Cathedral of Images in the white limestone quarries of Les Baux-de-Provence.

First Impressions

The Imagine Van Gogh experience at SoWa, unlike Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience at the Strand Theater, is in one giant irregularly shaped interior space. There was music accompanying the changing projections, but no commentary. To “experience” the exhibit, the visitor is expected to continuously wander as the imagery changes.

The scale of the exhibit was one of the most impressive aspects of this exhibit. Because of the non-rectangular layout, we felt much more immersed when walking amongst the changing images.

We spent about 40 minutes at the exhibit, looking at and enjoying the changing projections. However, unlike the other exhibit, there were no seating options in this one. You have walk around or you will not see everything, and there was a LOT to see. If you have kids or are with those who may need to periodically rest, be mindful of that.

About SoWa

Built in 1891, the SoWa Power Station was world’s largest power generation plant at the time. It produced enough electricity to run the West End Street Railway.

The century-old property’s structural elements have since been rescued and restored, transforming it into a blank canvas for community, celebration, and innovation.  The Imagine Van Gogh folks made full use of the available space to bring their vision to life.

Final Thoughts

We REALLY liked the scale of this exhibit. The ability to walk right up to, and in many cases, be surrounded by Van Gogh’s images is something not to be missed. Seeing the details, not just the subjects, of the paintings, like the individual bristle strokes is not how we typically “experience” works of art. The new perspective is completely worth the price of admission. Go before they pack up and leave town!