Beyond Van Gogh

10/16/21
Beyond Van Gogh
Salt Lake City, UT

My tribe: Jenny, Rachel, Joey, Shanna

I heard about Van Gogh immersive several years ago when it was being featured in an old quarry in France. I seriously thought about going to France in order to see it. Of course that wasn't a feasible idea and then coronavirus happened.

Jessica (framed in the dark) had a ticket that let her start 15 minutes after ours

A few months ago I found out it was going to be in Indiana, then I saw it was going to be in Texas and finally I found it was going to be featured in Salt Lake City! 

The exhbition begins with a queue through a series of open frames and panels with a bit of the life story in both English and Spanish

Van Gogh immersive is a visual feast and emotional experience. Paintings and parts of paintings are projected on the walls and floor. My niece said that the transitions are excellent. And she was right, they are showing the paintings in new ways with movement, quotes from his letters to his brother and other sources, and color.

Starry swirls on the floor and walls (with Rachel, Joey, and Shanna)

My mother loved art. She studied art history and we had prints from Van Gogh, Picasso, Mary Cassatt, Rembrandt, and from many other artists in the house. She had many art books and if we showed any interest we would get lectures in the disguise of conversations about art.

The wonder of being in a painting

The oldest classic pieces I remember in our houses were Pinkie by Thomas Lawrence and Blue Boy by Thomas Gainsborough. But pride of place was held by Van Gogh's Starry Starry Night. In Texas she had one room covered with a gallery style installation of many of Van Gogh's prints.

I found the Beyond Van Gogh immersive experience to be awe inspiring. First the paintings are fabulous. Second the projection and transitions were sometimes playful, sometimes moving, and always wondrous. And finally, I found moments where feelings for my mother ebbed and flowed. I remembered her smile, her love of family and art, and I reverenced her memory and the many art conversations we had.

Paintings growing over other paintings

I'm hoping to go see this again. You might look at this page to see if a version of this show will be near you: https://www.afar.com/magazine/where-to-see-immersive-van-gogh-exhibits-in-the-us-in-2021 

- Jenny

True magic

Notes from February's Sabbatical Visits to Utah

slc urban room01
Originally uploaded by J Semenza

At Salt Lake City Public I discovered the new and exciting world of library photography policies. I had no idea such a thing existed. It makes sense though, when you consider all the professional photographers coming into the SLC publilc library to use it as a backdrop.

My visit to Orem included the mandatory stop at La Dolce Vita in Provo, an incredible Italian restaurant.
It is located at:
61 North 100 East
Provo, UT 84606
(801) 373-8482
http://www.ladolcevitaprovo.com/

On the drive to Logan I had an incredible impulse to call my aunt Susan. It seemed a little nuts since I have a brother, sister-in-law and 4 nieces/nephews there and I was going to be stealthy and not visit them. I eventually gave into the impulse and arranged to go to lunch with Susan. I met her at the Utah Festival Opera's building. Susan is the director for 'Opera for Children'. See: http://www.operabychildren.org/. We headed over to Great Harvest Bread Co., for a lunch of sandwiches. In the middle of a great conversation she suddenly looks up and says "there's your brother."

He, of course, loudly exclaims "Aunt Susan!" and comes over. I then get the best double-take I've ever seen from him. And he continues "and my sister!"

It was great to see both of them.

The way out of town was particularly exciting when deer jumped out in front of me on the road. I was driving slowly in part to save gas money and in part because of the 'watch for deer' sign.

Visited:
Salt Lake City Public - Photos at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jsemenza/sets/72157604004657195/
University of Utah - Photos at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jsemenza/sets/72157604000775304/
Provo Public Library - Photos at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jsemenza/sets/72157604005050647/
Utah Valley University - Photos at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jsemenza/sets/72157604000953468/
Logan Public Library - Photos at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jsemenza/sets/72157604001499630/
Utah State University - Photos at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jsemenza/sets/72157604005331249/

SLC and Jessica

Goodbyes are hard. I drove to SLC to catch a plane for Texas. Nick is leaving for field camp on the morrow. Beautiful lazy drive, arrived at Rebecca's and went to visit Jessica. She has such a cute house and a great husband and it was wonderful to see them. The three of us went to dinner at Ruby Tuesday's. Something I haven't done since visiting Jen B. in Denver almost 10 years ago.
I spent the night at Rebecca's she dropped me off at the airport at an unreasonable morning hour.

Nick is keeping a blog at http://geoscirockhunter.blogspot.com/ and he'll be available by email. We're just tooo cheap to get a second cell phone.