Although it had a rocky start, “Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience” at Doraville’s Exhibition Hub has recovered nicely, with thousands of patrons coming through the doors.
The expanded experience, featuring two immersive “wow rooms” in its 12,000-square-foot space, had its VIP preview party July 20, but a massive afternoon thunderstorm knocked out all power along Buford Highway, leaving attendees touring the available exhibits using their phone flashlights.
However, according to Exhibition Hub Executive Producer John Zaller, the auspicious start was just a blip on the radar.
“We are having hundreds on the weekdays and thousands on the weekends touring Van Gogh,” he said. “We’ve also had lots of walk-ins, which has been great.”
For people who purchase VIP tickets, a virtual reality experience takes visitors on a “new 10-minute journey through Van Gogh’s world in Arles, France, a new soaring musical soundtrack, and an immersive gallery dedicated to the significant influence of Japanese art on Van Gogh’s work,” according to a statement released by Exhibition Hub.
Zaller attributes the exhibition’s popularity to the fact that Van Gogh is a “fascinating subject who draws a diverse group of people to want to experience his life.”
“The exhibit appeals to all kinds of learning types, so that everyone can find something to enjoy,” he said. “It’s been great to see such a diversity of visitors from all ages and every part of Atlanta come to see Van Gogh.”
Zaller said the other exhibition on display in the facility, “LEGO: The Art of The Brick,” continues to be popular. It features the work of Nathan Sawaya, a former New York City corporate lawyer who has built massive displays using more than 1 million LEGO pieces featuring people and endangered animals.
“It’s playful and profound at the same time,” Zaller said. “Everyone who comes out from the ‘Art of the Brick’ is blown away.”
Zaller said Exhibition Hub is already lining up its next exhibit, which will debut after LEGO exits Sept. 5. “Tutankhamun: His Tomb and His Treasures” will open at the center on Sept. 28, alongside Van Gogh. According to a release from Exhibition Hub, “guests will be taken on a once-in-a-lifetime journey looking at the burial chambers and treasures of King Tut.”
Tutankhamun’s tomb, discovered in 1922 by Howard Carter, is the only royal burial found intact in modern times which allowed archeologists to record what an Egyptian king’s tomb looked like.
“Each of the three chambers are about the size of a New York City apartment, but contains more than 3,600 artifacts,” Zaller said. “The replicas of the artifacts are crafted beautifully by Egyptian craftsmen.”
To date, more than 7 million visitors have seen the exhibition as it traveled across much of Europe and Asia. Zaller said this is the exhibition’s first foray into the southeast.
Tickets for “Tutankhamun: His Tomb and His Treasures” are on sale now. For more information go to https://tutankhamunexpo.com/atlanta.