Van Gogh: A Journey Through Time at Musée d'Orsay Exhibit

Vincent Van Gogh Tour Comes to VR

The VIVE Arts team, which recently brought the Eternal Notre Dame virtual reality exhibition to Kaohsiung, Taiwan, has officially announced a new collaboration with the Musée d'Orsay in Paris. They are presenting a VR experience called Van Gogh's Palette at this year's Van Gogh in Auvers-sur-Oise: The Final Months exhibition tour.

Van Gogh's Palette allows visitors to enter the mysterious and thought-provoking last moments of Vincent Van Gogh's life. This is the first time that the Musée d'Orsay has incorporated virtual reality into one of their exhibitions. 

For this momentous occasion, HTC's Travis Lin was dispatched to Paris as a special correspondent. He went on site to explore and follow in Van Gogh's footsteps, hoping to get a better understanding of the life of this enigmatic and great artist.

A first-hand account.

On the opening day of the exhibition, we connected with Travis Lin to see if he had discovered any interesting observations or findings while in Paris.


Information about the exhibition could be seen from outside the Musée d'Orsay.

HTC VIVE:
Hi, Travis. Since you're currently at the opening of Van Gogh in Auvers-sur-Oise: The Final Months at the Musée d'Orsay in Paris, what do you think has been the audience's initial reaction?

Travis Lin:
Since I attended an experience organized by the museum for the media, I didn't get to witness the general audience's reactions to the exhibition, unfortunately. However, if you look at the reviews from international media sources, it's not hard to see that this exhibition is remarkable.

The most important aspect of it, of course, is its exploration of the last two months of Van Gogh's life. Most people's impressions of Van Gogh are limited to famous works like Starry Night and Sunflowers, which are often seen reproduced on prints and postcards. Relatively fewer people pay attention to works from his later period.

Fortunately, Van Gogh left behind a lot of correspondence with his brother Theo, and the exhibition extensively utilizes these letters and adds a narrative that interprets the artist's psychological state. I find this part to be particularly fascinating.

Van Gogh in Auvers-sur-Oise: The Final Months is open at the Musée d'Orsay.

Another highlight is the exhibition's combination of art and technology. I had the opportunity to speak with the digital department director of the Musée d'Orsay, and — I don't know if I should be surprised — the Musée d'Orsay is embracing of new tech!

Besides our VIVE Arts collaboration on the VR experience Van Gogh's Palette, the museum's Van Gogh exhibition also includes an AI Van Gogh at the exhibition exit who can chat with visitors. With VR and AI, there are truly many exciting new forms of expression that can be explored.

HTC VIVE:
If Van Gogh himself had the opportunity to experience this VR content, what do you think his reaction would be? Would he enjoy seeing his works presented in this way?

Travis Lin:
Actually, I asked the AI Van Gogh at the exhibition exit this same question. I can only say that the AI Van Gogh's personality feels quite authentic to the real Van Gogh — odd and maybe a bit difficult to get along with. He was irrated by my question and tersely explained to me that VR did not exist in his time.


The AI Van Gogh seemed a little bit unhappy about talking with Travis.

HTC VIVE:
Did you have the opportunity to experience Van Gogh's Palette at the Musée d'Orsay? How does it compare to the version you tried back at the office? 

Travis Lin:
Yes, I had the opportunity to experience it. It was really great! The version I tried at the office before this trip was not the final one, so naturally it was different from what I experienced at the Musée d'Orsay.

I think the main differences were in the details (the devil is in the details!). At the Musée d'Orsay, the interaction felt more natural, and the pacing of the content in the context of the museum felt much more smooth. It feels like they've fine-tuned the experience to perfection!

I actually visited Paris in 2019 for the VIVE Arts and Louvre collaboration on the VR experience Mona Lisa: Beyond the Glass. After four years, I think the overall VR experience has significantly improved with this Van Gogh exhibition.

Standalone VR truly has its advantages, and the VIVE XR Elite has received high praise from the Musée d'Orsay, which I heard firsthand. The exhibition setup and the flow of the experience make it feel effortless. It's been a great success!


VIVE XR Elite's gesture tracking enables intuitive interaction with the artwork.

Don't miss this immersive exhibition.

It certainly seems like Travis Lin had a fulfilling experience at the exhibition's opening. However, you should remember that experiencing VR firsthand is the only way to truly understand it. If you're currently in Paris or planning to travel there soon, be sure to add a visit to the Musée d'Orsay to your itinerary!

The Van Gogh exhibition runs from October 3, 2023, to February 4, 2024, and offers audiences an unprecedented experience that delves deep into the unknown aspects of the artist.