I learned about Van Gogh Alive a while back on social media. This multi-sensory experience displays many of Vincent Van Gogh's paintings on massive screens. I thought it must be amazing to see it in person so when I saw the news that this traveling exhibition was coming to Manila, I got tickets on the first day.
It wasn't smooth sailing though. Tickets were being sold via the Mind Museum website which I think wasn't set up to handle a huge amount of online traffic. Tickets are for 1.5 hour slots and there is a limit to the number of tickets sold per slot. I was trying to get Saturday tickets but it seemed everyone else had the same idea. On multiple instances, I was booking tickets but at the point of check-out, I got an error only to find out the slot I was trying to get tickets for was already sold out. It took me several attempts and rejections in more than two hours before I finally got tickets!
This multi-media spectacle makes use of the SENSORY4™ system which was developed by Grande Exhibitions. It "combines multichannel motion graphics, cinema quality surround sound, and up to forty high-definition projectors to provide one of the most exciting multiscreen environments in the world."
The show is about 40 minutes long which means that it gets played twice during each 1.5 hour slot. The space is quite small and the screens aren't too big so during the first run, guests have to sit down to watch (there are a few benches at the venue but most people sat on the carpeted floor).
However, at the onset of the second run, guests are told they can now roam freely and start taking pictures with the displays. I expected more chaos as people angled to take selfies but it wasn't bad. People seemed to be quite mindful of the fact that almost everyone wanted to take pictures so no one really took too long during photo ops.
Of course, I made sure that we got a photo of The Starry Night, which is arguably Van Gogh's most popular and most celebrated painting.
Towards the end of our slot, my mom and I stepped back out into the receiving area to see and read a bit more about some of Van Gogh's paintings that were featured in the show. There was also a replica of Van Gogh's Bedroom in Arles at the entrance so we naturally had to take a picture there too. :)
I was told by a friend that Van Gogh Alive tickets seem to be sold out in the remainder of its Manila run so I'm glad that I got tickets early. If you already have tickets and will be seeing the show, you might also want to get a souvenir program. At P750, it's not cheap but it has a lot of really good photographs of Van Gogh's work and a lot of information about his art and his life. I personally think it is worth it.
I've seen photos and videos of Van Gogh Alive in other countries where the venue and the screens are much bigger, allowing guests to roam around freely and giving them a much more immersive experience. That said, my mom and I still thought the Manila run was highly stimulating and very enjoyable. It isn't easy or affordable to go to another country just to experience this so I'm really grateful that Van Gogh Alive made its way to Manila.
It wasn't smooth sailing though. Tickets were being sold via the Mind Museum website which I think wasn't set up to handle a huge amount of online traffic. Tickets are for 1.5 hour slots and there is a limit to the number of tickets sold per slot. I was trying to get Saturday tickets but it seemed everyone else had the same idea. On multiple instances, I was booking tickets but at the point of check-out, I got an error only to find out the slot I was trying to get tickets for was already sold out. It took me several attempts and rejections in more than two hours before I finally got tickets!
This multi-media spectacle makes use of the SENSORY4™ system which was developed by Grande Exhibitions. It "combines multichannel motion graphics, cinema quality surround sound, and up to forty high-definition projectors to provide one of the most exciting multiscreen environments in the world."
The show is about 40 minutes long which means that it gets played twice during each 1.5 hour slot. The space is quite small and the screens aren't too big so during the first run, guests have to sit down to watch (there are a few benches at the venue but most people sat on the carpeted floor).
However, at the onset of the second run, guests are told they can now roam freely and start taking pictures with the displays. I expected more chaos as people angled to take selfies but it wasn't bad. People seemed to be quite mindful of the fact that almost everyone wanted to take pictures so no one really took too long during photo ops.
Of course, I made sure that we got a photo of The Starry Night, which is arguably Van Gogh's most popular and most celebrated painting.
Towards the end of our slot, my mom and I stepped back out into the receiving area to see and read a bit more about some of Van Gogh's paintings that were featured in the show. There was also a replica of Van Gogh's Bedroom in Arles at the entrance so we naturally had to take a picture there too. :)
I was told by a friend that Van Gogh Alive tickets seem to be sold out in the remainder of its Manila run so I'm glad that I got tickets early. If you already have tickets and will be seeing the show, you might also want to get a souvenir program. At P750, it's not cheap but it has a lot of really good photographs of Van Gogh's work and a lot of information about his art and his life. I personally think it is worth it.
I've seen photos and videos of Van Gogh Alive in other countries where the venue and the screens are much bigger, allowing guests to roam around freely and giving them a much more immersive experience. That said, my mom and I still thought the Manila run was highly stimulating and very enjoyable. It isn't easy or affordable to go to another country just to experience this so I'm really grateful that Van Gogh Alive made its way to Manila.
