Van Gogh to brighten up Beijing from August

[Photo by Jiang Dong/China Daily]

Those who can’t make it to Van Gogh Alive, currently being staged in Shanghai, have another chance to experience the multimedia show in Beijing from August.

The extravaganza projects more than 3,000 high-resolution photos of Vincent van Gogh’s paintings, drafts and letters onto huge screens, columns and the floor of the venue. The 35-minute show introduces the Dutch painter’s short-lived but prolific life, this year marking the 125th anniversary of his death.

The show in Shanghai’s Xintiandi district has attracted many visitors, some of who say they are fascinated by how technology can make Van Gogh’s art come alive while others are disappointed that they haven’t seen the artist’s actual works.

The Beijing show will be staged at Joy City Mall, in Chaoyang district from Aug 8 until Nov 8. Van Gogh’s works are sought by deep-pocketed Chinese collectors who have shifted their focus from home-grown art to Western paintings.

Wang Zhongjun, the Chinese movie mogul who co-funded Huayi Brothers Media Corp, spent $61.8 million on a Van Gogh canvas, Still Life, Vase with Daisies and Poppies, at a Sotheby’s sale in New York in November.

He appeared at an event to promote Van Gogh Alive in Beijing. Earlier this month a Chinese buyer splashed out $66.33 million for Van Gogh’s L’allee des Alyscamps (the alley of Alyscamps) at Sotheby’s New York sale although the auction house did not reveal the buyer’s identity.