'Beyond Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience' at Empire Polo Fields extended to Dec. 27

For those who haven't been to the art exhibition "Beyond Van Gogh" at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, there's good news. Due to high demand, the exhibition has just been extended by a month through Dec. 27.

A spokesperson for the exhibition's production company, Paquin Entertainment Group, said it doesn't give out exact attendance figures, but added "tens of thousands" have gone through The Forum Tent at the Empire Polo Club to take in the immersive art experience since opening in September.

“We are so grateful and of course honored by the audience’s positive reaction and enthusiasm towards the experience,” said Justin Paquin, producer at Paquin Entertainment Group, in a statement.

The exhibition features 300 works by van Gogh, such as "The Starry Night," "Sunflowers" and "Café Terrace at Night," which are brought to life in a whole new way. Paintings are projected onto walls, panels, and the floor, and as brushstrokes start to appear, one piece moves seamlessly onto the next.

Certain pieces, such as "Almond Blossoms," fill the room with what seems like hundreds of petals floating through the air, capturing what the artist might have witnessed when a breeze blew through the tree's branches. Accompanying the larger-than-life works, which grow more vibrant as the artist develops his craft, is classical music that amplifies aura and mood of each piece.

Attendees even get a chance to see the only photograph that exists of the man behind so many delicate landscapes and floral displays.

The exhibit was created by French-Canadian Creative Director Mathieu St-Arnaud of the Montreal-based Normal Studio for Paquin Entertainment Group. Its creation began in October 2020 and took about six months to put together, art historian Fanny Curtat said. The whole idea was to create a cultural experience that would bring people joy, and van Gogh's work seemed to be the perfect fit.

While his artwork from the later 1880s may be filled with bright colors and joyful sceneries, van Gogh struggled with his mental health. Following his notorious ear mutilation incident — the exhibit provides some background — the artist checked himself in to an asylum in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. It was there where he created one of his most famous masterpieces, "The Starry Night," inspired by the view from his window.

Van Gogh died on July 29, 1890, at the age of 37, two days after he shot himself. But his work lives on and inspires people all around the world.

For more information on "Beyond Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience," visit vangoghpalmsprings.com

Admission starts at $39.99 for adults and $23.99 for children (ages 5-15). Hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (with last entry at 7 p.m.) on Tuesdays through Thursdays and Sundays, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. (with last entry at 8 p.m.) on Fridays and Saturdays. The exhibition will be open on Christmas Eve from 10a.m. to 5 p.m. (last sale at 4 p.m.) and is closed on Christmas Day.

The Forum Tent at Empire Polo Club is located at 81-800 51st Ave. in Indio.

Previous reporting by Desert Sun staff writer Ema Sasic was included in this report. 

Desert Sun reporter Brian Blueskye covers arts and entertainment. He can be reached at brian.blueskye@desertsun.com or on Twitter at @bblueskye. 

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Indio's Empire Polo Club extends 'Beyond Van Gogh' exhibit