Vincent Van Gogh’s art comes

alive and larger than life on

Wellington waterfront
Kate Green05:00, Aug 01 2020
WELLINGTONNZ

Wrap your coat a little tighter, let the music envelop you, and step into
another world of larger-than-life sunflowers, vivid self-portraits, and starry
nights.

The art of Vincent Van Gogh arrives on the Wellington waterfront this month,
using state-of-the-art technology and up to 40 projectors.

Digital Nights Wellington: Vincent Van Gogh The Experience is the world’s
most visited multi-sensory experience, celebrating one of the most famous
artists of all time.

In a New Zealand exclusive, thousands of the Dutch artist’s works will be

projected onto shipping containers stacked three-high in a temporary
outdoor gallery in Odlins Plaza.

SUPPLIED
Digital Nights, pictured here in Milan, is making its exclusive New Zealand appearance in
Wellington next month.
The exhibition opens on August 27, and runs till October 25.

The brainchild of Melbourne-based Bruce Peterson, it uses the latest digital

technology to surround the viewer with huge, crystal-clear images.

WellingtonNZ events and experiences general manager Warrick Dent said

planning began in late May.

New Zealand was an ideal destination for the exhibition because of its near
Covid-free status.

Instead of bringing in the international production team, technicians would

supervise the installation through their computer screens from Melbourne,
directing members of a local production team, wearing body-cams, on how
to set it up.

The equipment was functional rain or shine, and a judgment call would be
made case-by-case on whether to go ahead during bad weather.

SUPPLIED
The exhibition, shown here in Qingdao, is the world's most visited multi-sensory experience.

The experience will be totally immersive, with moving images, cinema quality
surround-sound, and the high-definition projectors creating the gallery of
images.
An evocative musical score designed to complement the images will add to
the vibrant colours and vivid details of the artwork.

The outdoor gallery will be tailor-made for Odlins Plaza, allowing multiple
tours each night.

From sunset, the 45-minute, family-friendly experience will create the

sensation of walking right into Van Gogh’s paintings.

SUPPLIED
WellingtonNZ events and experiences general manager Warrick Dent says he hopes the event,
pictured here in Qingdao, will attract tens of thousands of visitors.

Mayor Andy Foster said the show was a picture-perfect way to launch the
city’s major events calendar, following the disruption caused by Covid-19.

“Big events have always played a pivotal role in attracting visitors to

Wellington,” he said. “It will help fill our hotels and boost spending in both the
retail and hospitality sectors.”