'Immersive Van Gogh' to open in Chicago in February

"Immersive Van Gogh," a digital showcase of Vincent Van Gogh masterworks, will open in Chicago in February 2021, according to an announcement Monday from the exhibition's creative team and producers who described it as "theatrical in nature."

"The Starry Night" (1889), "Self Portrait with Felt Hat" (1888) and "The Bedroom in Arles" (1889) are among the well-loved paintings included in the exhibition. Created by designer Massimiliano Siccardi and composer Luca Longobardi - pioneers in digital art immersion - with art director Vittorio Guidotti, "Immersive Van Gogh" is now on display in Toronto, Canada, where more than 180,000 people have viewed it since its July 2020 opening.

More than a "medium-to-medium transposition," the exhibition also will tell the artist's story, Siccardi said during Monday's announcement. The combination of projections, music and animation is designed so viewers can "connect with the human being behind the brush strokes," Guidotti added.

Produced in cooperation with Lighthouse ArtSpace Chicago at the landmark Germania Club Building, 108 W. Germania Place, Chicago, the hourlong, walk-through exhibition will conform to COVID-19 safety precautions. Capacity will be limited and hand sanitizer stations will be available throughout the gallery. Face coverings are mandatory and temperature checks are required for admission. Digitally projected physical distancing circles on the gallery floors will ensure appropriate spacing, according to the producers.

Timed, dated tickets go on sale at 11 a.m. Monday, Nov. 23, at vangogchicago.com or (844) 307-4644. Ticket prices start at $39.99.

"I see this as a big bet on the future of the city," said Mark Kelly, commissioner of the city of Chicago's Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, who expressed hope that "Immersive Van Gogh" will become a beacon as the nation begins to emerge from the coronavirus pandemic.