Courtesy of Mia
Vincent Van Gogh, Olive Grove
Vincent Van Gogh. Olive Grove, June 1889. Oil on canvas. 45.5 cm x 59.1 cm.
So you fell victim to attending the Immersive Van Gogh exhibit only to find yourself craving more when you left, right?
Well, lucky for you, the Minneapolis Institute of Art will offer exactly what the immersive experience lacked: the real deal.
Although Van Gogh’s work will not be projected across 500,000 cubic feet, visitors of “Van Gogh and the Olive Groves” should expect to see five Van Gogh paintings on loan from the Van Gogh Museum and the Dallas Museum of Art. The exhibit will also hold Mia's very own Olive Trees along with three paper works—a drawing, a watercolor, and an etching.
This exhibit is especially unique because most of the included paintings do not travel, and if they do, they travel infrequently. “For visitors to see a group of Van Goghs together, especially the paintings, is extraordinarily rare,” said Jennifer Olivarez, head of exhibition planning and strategy at Mia. “I can’t think when we’ve had this opportunity in Minnesota before.”
Van Gogh created these works from June through December of 1889 while he was living in Saint-Remy-de-Provence as a self-admitted patient in Saint-Remy's local asylum.
Since so many of the paintings are of a similar subject and from a condensed point in time, visitors will be able to see how Van Gogh approached his subject in different ways, Olivarez said.
The exhibit highlights new discoveries related to the techniques and materials used on the works. It showcases Van Gogh’s “bold and experimental approach” as well as how he used color and line to his advantage.
If you attended the Immersive Van Gogh experience, you will likely find this exhibit fulfilling as well. Seeing the actual works of art will only enhance your knowledge and enjoyment of Van Gogh’s artistry.
“There’s nothing like seeing a real work of art that inspires another type of art,” Olivarez said. “When you think of the Van Gogh immersive experience, it’s sort of an art in and of itself. But if you really want to see what the source material is, that would mean looking at the original painting. You can see the size, the texture, the brush stroke. Everything becomes much more real.”
Tickets are required for this exhibit and will be available for $15 per adult starting in May. Those 17 and younger will receive free admission. Advanced registration is recommended.
“This exhibition offers a rare and exciting opportunity for our audience to view multiple Van Gogh masterpieces here in the Twin Cities,” said Katie Luber, the new director and president of Mia, in a statement. “Van Gogh’s work has inspired generations of art lovers, and there is nothing like the experience of seeing these paintings and noting the energy and emotion behind each of his brushstrokes.”
