Never having been an art lover I surprised myself recently by signing up, quite excitedly I have to say, for an exhibition of the work of Vincent Van Gogh entitled Beyond Van Gogh.
Despite never having previously taken any interest in his work I nonetheless got up early and got myself down to the Exhibition Centre in the Albert Dock area of Liverpool for what was described as an ‘immersive’ experience of the great masters extensive portfolio.
It turned out to be one of the most fascinating experiences I’ve had in years. This wasn’t a simple display where people shuffle up to paintings, silently muse then move on to the next one along.
These were the creations of Van Gogh projected onto the huge walls of the exhibition room lined with canvas, and plinths also canvas covered. The projections would arrive by degrees and remain for several minutes, each phase covering portraits, self-portraits, street scenes or the idyllic rural scenes the artist loved most of all.
The street and rural scenes would emerge as sketches that would gradually build into a full piece of art that would cover an entire wall and would emerge in part or whole across the ceiling and floor of the exhibition room, often making the attendees look like part of the process itself.
Music that would compliment the works would accompany what was being viewed. The self portraits would occasionally have the eyes blink in such a way that you wondered whether you’d imagined it, and find yourself staring at Van Gogh in a kind of game of nerves set up to amuse the creator.
It was almost an hour of hypnotic immersion before the process would begin to repeat itself.
The experience spiked my interest in art generally and I found myself in a period of reflection inspired by what I’d just witnessed, something creative art of whatever type should inspire to do.
Beyond Van Gog is currently about to revisit various cities in the United States.
SONGS AND SCRIPTS AND DUNKING BISCUITS 
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