“Irises,” “Bedroom in Arles,” “Wheatfield with Crows,” “The Starry Night,” immerse yourself in the Van Gogh experience by stepping into some of Van Gogh’s most famous paintings.  

“Beyond Van Gogh the Immersive Experience” is coming to El Paso this year. The exhibit will be open to the public from Nov. 21 to Jan. 29, 2023, at the El Paso County Coliseum, and will show more than 300 of Van Gogh’s art pieces. This interactive art exhibit is an entirely different experience from appreciating these artworks in a museum.  

“I can’t wait to go to the Van Gogh immersive exhibit with my boyfriend when it comes to El Paso. I think it will be a really cool experience and a fun place to take pictures at,” said UTEP education major Maddison Del Toro.  

Viewers can experience these masterpieces come to life as they are freed from their frames. The paintings will be projected throughout the walls of the building. The gallery was created in Canada and has traveled across the western hemisphere.  

UTEP biology student Jennifer Muniz, who is also an avid painter and fan of Van Gogh, says she can’t wait to attend the exhibit. “I have been painting since I was a little girl, and Van Gogh is one of my favorite painters. So, it is super exciting how an art exhibit like this can come to El Paso,” said Muniz.  

Van Gogh died a poor, tortured soul but has become one of the most influential artists of all time. His legacy is kept alive as his artwork is showcased in some of the biggest museums in the world. This is a unique opportunity for engaging all the senses in his works.  

Vincent Willem Van Gogh was a Dutch Post-Impressionist painter. He was born March 30, 1853, in Zundert, Netherlands, and died July 29, 1890, in Auvers-sur-Oise, France. His purpose in life was to give the world happiness through his art.  

“Vincent Van Gogh was a Dutch painter and has become a mythical figure for the art community because of his use of colors and brush strokes. People are also intrigued by his life story and how his mental illnesses motivated his artworks. There is a lot of emotion in his work, and you can see it through his use of color,” said UTEP Assistant Professor of Art Melissa Warak, Ph.D., who is interested in disability studies and Van Gogh’s artworks.  

Warak has visited the interactive exhibit in Houston. 

Van Gogh had a tough life filled with many defeats. He accidentally cut his own ear lobe off, spiraled into madness and depression and was admitted into the local mental hospital. After he got out, he committed suicide in the wheat field by his house. He created many different works of art throughout his lifetime, which became famous after his death.  

“This past winter break, I went to the Van Gogh immersive experience show in Houston. I’ve seen some of Van Gogh’s art pieces in person at museums, and it’s a different experience seeing the artworks projected in these huge warehouses,” Warak said. “The immersive experience is a good way to see these paintings as motion pictures, but there is not a lot of history about the paintings. You can learn more about the history if you go to a major museum.”  

History or not, art lovers and civilians alike can learn about Van Gough through their own interpretation and experience in “Beyond Van Gogh the Immersive Experience to reserve your tickets or to find out more information on the exhibit visit https://vangoghelpaso.com/  

Alyson Rodriguez is a contributor and may be reached at [email protected]; @alyson_rod1127 on Twitter.