Meeting Vincent Van Gogh – digitally

The quality of modern video projection is so good that it’s no longer only for movies and sporting events. It is now challenging the way we experience the world of art – especially the world of the classic old masters.

Not so long ago it was accepted that the only place to fully appreciate the world’s great art masterpieces was to see them in one of the world’s great museums – institutions entrusted as custodians of such priceless treasures.

But modern video projection makes it possible for people to get up close and personal with artworks in a way that would never be possible in a museum. And without the need for any risk to priceless artworks from moving them from one part of the world to another.

Art aficionados always argue that there is no substitute for the experience of seeing an  “original”. They have some truth, but in reality such experiences are mathematically unlikely for most people. (For example, according to Google, 6 million people visit the Louvre’s Mona Lisa each year, each looking at her for an average of 15 seconds).

The more interesting question is to do with copyright – and who really “owns” the ancient artworks. The Meet Vincent van Gogh exhibition markets itself as the official van Gogh experience. Yet the first van Gogh experience to be fully digital – Van Gogh Alive – was created by an Australian company in 2010. Both Van Gogh Alive and  Meet Vincent  are touring in Spain right now (2019) – just in different cities.

Profitable art competition!

Why stop with Vincent?

(The video above has captions in both English and Spanish).