As if the Van Gogh LA immersive art exhibit wasn’t enough, through a new partnership with the Chopra Foundation, aiming to bring awareness to mental health, there was a special guest last night — world-renowned Deepak Chopra. Given Chopra’s work with holistic health, primarily through meditation and Van Gogh’s tortured life, this made perfect sense.
After a short panel to discuss art and mental health, Chopra took the small crowd through a guided meditation.
‘Use soft eyes as you listen to my voice,’ he began in that unmistakeable sonorous voice, ‘as you watch the art unfold in front of you.’
And with that, the walls, ceiling and floor lit up with moving Van Gogh canvases. It was as if you were living in the Nuit étoilée (Starry Night) and other famous works.
After the meditation, the crowd was free to wander in an almost dream-like state and marvel at the living art. Favorite paintings came to life — Mangeurs de pommes de terre (The Potato Eaters, 1885), the Nuit étoilée (Starry Night, 1889), Les Tournesols (Sunflowers, 1888), and La Chambre à coucher (The Bedroom, 1889)– plus many more.
Between the multisensory art experience and the custom meditation, it was a once-in-a-lifetime event.
