Toulouse: the unprecedented immersive exhibition dedicated to the artist Van Gogh starts this Wednesday at the EDF Bazacle space
From this Wednesday, July 6 and until mid-November, an unprecedented immersive exhibition dedicated to the Dutch artist Van Gogh arrives at the EDF Bazacle space in Toulouse. The creators, the day before the launch, presented the concept.
A new exhibition dedicated to the Dutch painter Van Gogh arrives today at the EDF Bazacle space in Toulouse. In the basement of this hydroelectric power station commissioned in 1888 and still in operation, the public is invited to discover the painter’s hundreds of works by literally immersing themselves in the artist’s paintings. Thanks to state-of-the-art technology developed by Exhibition Hub, the walls and floor of this unique place are transformed into gigantic works of art. The Exhibition Hub company is an already produced more than 90 exhibitions and experiences of this type around the world. The first Van Gogh exhibition was held in Naples, Italy in a cathedral, then it was produced in 40 cities around the world. Toulouse is the first French city in terms of reception. The two creators from Exhibition Hub presented this unique exhibition on Tuesday.
Why did you choose the city of Toulouse?
We came to Toulouse and we fell in love with this city. The colors, the people, we felt a kind of pulsation, vibrations within this city. When we went to the Bazacle hydroelectric power station, we fell in love. The place is so unique and special. Obviously, this choice to launch the exhibition was not why the simplest, quite the contrary since there were technical constraints such as the fact that it is a plant still in operation and that people work here or that there is another museum at the same time. It’s a bit of a crazy challenge but we succeeded.
What are the specificities of this exhibition?
It’s a fully-fledged experience with animated floor-to-ceiling projections. It is an exhibition between the traditional museum and a new form of entertainment. The visitor literally entered Van Gogh’s work. In a dedicated room, you can take a virtual trip using augmented reality. It’s a bit like an impossible museum where you can bring the complete work of the artist to life. The public will also be able to discover Van Gogh’s bedroom in Arles, painted by the artist.
How did you make this exhibition?
We use what we call video mapping, a state-of-the-art technology, which allows us to create an incredible experience. The look is provided everywhere by the lights. Van Gogh’s paintings and their bright colors lend themselves perfectly to this type of technique. 40 internationally renowned digital artists have enabled us to achieve this result. When the public enters the exhibition, it is swallowed up, immersed in the image.