Melbourne hosts a digital Vincent van Gogh art exhibition

A new digital art gallery has found a permanent home at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, with works of impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh set to arrive in autumn.

Don’t expect to find any original paintings by Van Gogh at The Lume; the emphasis here is on a digital transportation that is cerebral and sensory.

More than 150 projectors will beam the Dutch master’s works across a 3000-square-metre space, designed to take you on a journey where the aural is enhanced, fragrance matters and the visual is intended to thrill.

The artist, who sold only one painting during his lifetime — to his art-dealer brother Theo — is best known for The Starry Night (1889), Cafe Terrace at Night (1888) and the Sunflower series.

Bruce Peterson, who also runs Grand Experiences, is the man behind The Lume. A former PE teacher who moved into digital exhibitions 16 years ago, he took a 12-month sabbatical in Italy with his young family. In 2013, he saw a permanent future in the business and bought the Leonardo Da Vinci museum in Rome – which he still runs.

He has created some 200 digital shows, including Alice in Wonderland and Italian Renaissance Masters, and has been to more than 32 cities.

Peterson says his exhibitions are designed to shake up the traditional art world. He wants to take 19th-century art and make it appealing to all ages.

“Half of the visitors who attend our overseas shows were aged between 20-35,” he says. “Museums and galleries can’t attract that audience in great numbers these days, and they would love to engage them.

“What we’ve found is a digital exhibition provides a perfect medium for that, but it’s ideal for all ages.”

Van Gogh Alive is designed to be walked through at your own pace in about 90 minutes.

“You come here to see an interpretation of Van Gogh’s art, get a background on who he was and learn about him along the way,” Peterson says.

“We haven’t had anything new like this come to Melbourne for years.

“We have existing galleries like ACMI, but we can always do with a few more cultural institutions to lift our profile even further globally.”

More than bring the heroes of the past to the present, Lume will also nurture local digital artists.

“We have plenty of digital artists who make animated movies in Australia and this will be a platform for them to be featured. Nurturing the next generation is part of our bigger picture too.”

Van Gogh Alive tickets go on sale later this month

thelume.com/melbourne