In Shanghai, Van Gogh comes alive

21st-century technology turns 19th-century art into a big, bold, spectacular show

A Van Gogh exhibition has attracted more than 120,000 visitors in Shanghai, without presenting a single original painting by the Dutch artist.

Van Gogh Alive opened to the public in the city's Xintiandi district on April 29, with people queuing for an hour before entering the exhibition hall during the May Day holiday.

With more than 120,000 tickets sold before the show had opened, organizers capped the number of visitors by starting an appointment system.

The 35-minute exhibition projects thousands of high-resolution photographs on 40 huge screens - some measuring up to seven meters in height - to create what organizers say is a "multi-sensory and immersive experience".

The images are of Van Gogh's canvases, including his best-known paintings, sketches, drafts and letters he wrote mainly to his younger brother, Theo.

The show also features animation and music. Visitors are encouraged to take pictures and make videos, and free WiFi is available in the venue so people can upload and share their images on social media.

One of those who were at the exhibition on its first day was Zhu Xiaoming. "It was so moving," she says. "I don't understand why standing in a crowd in front of the original 'Sunflowers' should be recognized as the only proof of art's value."

Hu Yan has seen some of Van Gogh's original work in Europe and says the exhibition brought her a different experience. "All your senses are activated and involved, and you become part of his art and life, with the music and movements surrounding you."

Han Jian, a columnist on the Bund, a weekly journal in Shanghai, wrote that Van Gogh Alive had broken away from the traditional way of showing art. "I want to observe the painting closely so I can see the details, structure and composition clearly. I want the art work to stay still.

"But the technology used in Van Gogh Alive was not designed for people like me. It has created a virtual amusement park. This will lead to the question of whether technology limits our imagination and twists the truth of art. I think that will be worth a discussion."

The show's curator, Zhou Yi, says Van Gogh Alive has made art more accessible and less of a niche interest.

"It's hardly possible to see all his original paintings, which are scattered in various museums all over the world. This exhibition has broken down the museum walls and the high cost of touring with the original art work."

The show in Shanghai ended on May 3. It will visit Beijing and Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, later this year.

Last year, a Claude Monet exhibition in Shanghai that featured 40 original paintings by the French Impressionist, attracted more than 400,000 people in three months, setting a record for public art exhibitions in the city.

The citywill host an exhibition in November featuring the work of the Spanish surrealist Salvador Dali. It will coincide with the Shanghai International Art Fair, which hosts work from established and emerging artists in China and from around the world.

zhangkun@chinadaily.com.cn