Viewing Van Gogh Alive, Kensington Gardens

You never have to wait long for the next Van Gogh exhibition, so there are few aspects of his career that have been left unturned. But Van Gogh Alive, an immersive experience now open in London and Birmingham, offers a fresh take on the life and art of the Dutch master.

A you meander around this multi-sensory exhibition, which has welcomed over 7 million visitors in 65 cities worldwide, you’ll encounter a lively symphony of light, colour, sound, and fragrance. His works, which are enlarged and sometimes computer-animated, are projected onto the walls and floors to dazzling effect.

Walking around is like walking around his greatest paintings. (Think stars and sunflowers every which way you look.) Snap a selfie in Van Gogh’s bedroom in Arles — a life-size recreation of one of his best-known works — before walking knee-deep through hundreds of sunflowers in the mirrored infinity room. Though not one for the purists, Van Gogh Alive is a theatrical extravaganza that brings his pictures to life.