In this series of post we were in Nanaimo for 3 days and 2 night. Here as a quick getaway and to experience all that the Harbour City has to offer.
We originally expected a sunny trip with clear skies, but instead were treated with cloud and rain. We nonetheless made the best of our time here, starting with some gentle storm watching while on the ferry. We left Horseshoe Bay on the first sailing to be able to maximize our time away, cramming as much a possible into our itinerary.
We started out at the Nanaimo Tourist Centre and convention hall. Here, the Beyond Van Gogh & Beyond Monet show was visiting.
I have been to the original when they first came to Vancouver, over a decade ago. Back then it was just Van Gogh and his works, so it was nice to have this experience flushed out with Monet, as another impressionist working around that time.
Tickets are purchased by time slot, with a need to stick to assigned time, in order to keep a steady flow of traffic going.
Seeing as we were 20 minutes early and had time, we spent it colouring outlines of famous paintings from both Van Gogh and Monet. Done with crayon, and when you are done, you are invited to hang your work on their feature wall.
The actual showcase begins with a series of hung frames that you can use as your first photo op. There is even a curator waiting at the front to help you take said photos. From here you snake around a maze of walls, each with the time line and history of these two famous artists. It was nice to be able to get to learn more about each, before you admire the extent of their work in the final movie room.
Whereas van Gogh focussed on portraits, considering it the highest form of artistic expression; Monet was inspired by light and captured it and the air that surrounded the scenery before him. He was influenced by the industrial wave, which had him capturing the houses, boats, and buildings that came from it.
One eventually fell into depression suffering from mental illness, famously leading him to cutting off his own ear. The other lost his vision due to cataracts, and despite having one surgery was worried another would make it worse so ended up using tinted glasses, which changed the way his art came out.
In between the walls of written history and actual quotes were glimpses of their work as backdrops and hung banners. This, all set to the sounds of running water and birds chirping, like I would imagine what being in Monet’s beloved, self-curated garden felt like.
The finale was a room with 360 projections. Here two back to back movies animating Van Gogh and Monet’s work came to life with sound and motion.
There were a few seats reserved for those who needed it most, everyone else was invited to sit on the carpeted floor. There wasn’t much room so we ended up standing against the back wall, which enviably blocked this view.
The show I saw in Vancouver long ago had a lot more pockets and spaces for quiet contemplation. And instead of having one long continuous video you had bits of moving illustration for easier focus. This also could be due to the addition space of the larger venue.
Although the art is lovely, it loses so much in translation when it is not on its intended medium. On a flat screen you miss out on detail and don’t see its depth, having it blown out of scale. The music does add to it, but I would have liked the lights further dimmed for this to be more immersive.
I could see this spectacle being translated into a VR experience, where each person gets their own headset and the movie feels a lot more personal and private. You also get more of a 3-D immersive feel. Here you can’t help but watch the people passing by and the kids rolling around on the carpet. I constantly felt like I was in the way, blocking someone else’s visibility, much like they were to mine.
Overall, a lovely showcase and a nice way to appreciate art in Nanaimo’s Art District.
Vancouver Island Conference Centre
101 Gordon St, Nanaimo, BC V9R 5J8
(250) 244-4050
viconference.com
