Van Gogh Alive – The Experience comes to Life

Van Gogh’s works of art have been displayed and enjoyed around the world for over a century – but never like this.

For a limited time only in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, visitors have the unique opportunity to experience Van Gogh’s artistry, and truly venture into his world. Grande Exhibitions and 6IX Degrees Entertainment present Van Gogh Alive – The Experience, a multi-sensory exhibition event to entertain the whole family – open from January 15th.

Make no mistake – this is no ordinary art exhibition. Traditions of tiptoeing through unnervingly silent galleries and viewing paintings from afar in quiet contemplation are forgotten as visitors find themselves interacting with art in ways they never imagined. Van Gogh Alive – The Experience will stretch the definition of the word ‘exhibition’ as it stimulates the senses and opens the mind.

There is even a lifelike, to scale room of the artist’s iconic work Bedroom in Arles, with visitors able to enter the room and take close-up photos of the recognizably drab interiors.

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From start to finish, visitors are surrounded by a powerful and vibrant symphony of light, colour and sound that compels them to leave the world behind and immerse themselves in what has been called an ‘unforgettable’ multi-sensory experience. Van Gogh’s masterpieces come to life as visitors experience the sensation of walking right into his paintings – a feeling that is simultaneously enchanting, entertaining and educational.

Speaking at the official opening of the exhibit on Monday, Yousef Batook, managing partner of 6IX Degrees Entertainment, said: “It’s a fantastic privilege to bring the world-renown Van Gogh Alive to Abu Dhabi and the Middle East for the first time. There has never been an art exhibition like this in the region and we’re expecting visitors to be blown away by this stimulating experience.”

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During his speech at the press conference, Yasser Al Gergawi, Head of Cultural Events Department at the Ministry of Culture & Knowledge Development, said that art is a universal language that can easily bring people together. “The exhibition comes within the Ministry’s strategy to promote the UAE’s position as an international culture and art hub, facilitating communication among various cultures. The Ministry is currently also working on the stimulation of artistic awareness and acceptance, as well as preparing experienced and talented young nationals in the fields of art to develop the cultural renaissance within the country.”

Taking place at the Abu Dhabi National Theatre from January 14^th to February 26^th, and at Dubai Design District from March 11th to April 23rd, the exhibition uses state-of-the-art SENSORY4™ multimedia technology to project enormous crystal-clear images. Set to an evocative classical score, a thrilling display of over 3,000 inspirational images transforms every surface – walls, columns, ceilings, and even floors. At such a scale, the vibrant colours and vivid details of Van Gogh’s work are truly breathtaking.

Adults and children alike will forge their own paths and find their own meaning as they wander through the galleries, exploring hidden nooks, viewing artworks from new angles and discovering unique perspectives. Visitors have the chance to examine Van Gogh’s sources of inspiration via photographs and video displayed alongside his works. But for many, the greatest pleasure lies in simply standing still, indulging the senses as waves of sights and sounds, intense and beautiful, wash over them.

Prices: Adults: AED 70
Kids: AED 65 (up to 16 years old)
Student discount: AED 65 (any age, with student card)
Abu Dhabi, 14th January – 26th February | Dubai, 11th March – 23rd April
Abu Dhabi National Theatre | Dubai Design District
Tickets purchased through Platinum List, Virgin Megastore, Dubai Calendar app

About 6IX Degrees Entertainment

6IX Degrees Entertainment is a Dubai-based entertainment and events production company which manages projects from conception to completion with expertise and creativity.  For further information visit https://6ixd.com/

About Grande Exhibitions, creators of Van Gogh Alive – The Experience

Grande Exhibitions specializes in the creation, design, production and touring of large international traveling exhibition experiences and permanent exhibition projects which have broad cultural appeal.

The organization’s traveling exhibitions are museum-quality experiences with an emphasis on being entertaining, educational, interactive and family-oriented.

Grande Exhibitions takes concepts or raw exhibits of timeless brand appeal, transforming them into visually and technically dynamic exhibits, ready to tour the globe. Their collection of exhibitions has been hosted in over 130 cities across six continents, to audiences in excess of 8 million people.

The organization is best known for creating their extensive suite of Leonardo da Vinci exhibitions with the assistance of Italian and French experts, Van Gogh Alive – The Experience, the most visited multimedia experience in the world, and Planet Shark: Predator or Prey, the world’s only comprehensive out-of-water shark experience, among numerous other exhibitions.

Grande Exhibitions operates from its head office in Melbourne, Australia, with satellite offices in the United States and United Kingdom. Grande Exhibitions also owns and operates a permanent historical attraction in the heart of Rome, Italy.

What is SENSORY4™?

Developed by Grande Exhibitions, SENSORY4™ is a unique system that combines multi-channel motion graphics, cinema quality surround sound and up to forty high-definition projectors to provide one of the most exciting multi-screen environments in the world. The resulting experience is dynamic, informative and visually spectacular. Incredibly detailed images flow through the mass of projectors and merge with digital surround sound to saturate the space in a breathtaking immersive display.