Southeast Asia’s Biggest Immersive Art Experience in Bangkok

Aaron Pendergast, Grande’s Manager of Touring Production, reveals how he and the in-house production team overcame challenges in transforming a vast open-plan venue into a mesmerising journey through the vibrant world of artist Vincent van Gogh.

Approaching a Grande project

A Grande experience is flexible, so when installing a large project like Van Gogh Alive in Bangkok, we can scale the experience to fit the venue and maintain the integrity of the visitor journey. The main difference is the time it takes.

The first step involves evaluating the space and identifying optimal visitor flow. Designs are created for each area, ranging from the main digital gallery to interactive and interpretive rooms.

For Bangkok, we essentially built a movie set with 14 distinct spaces, including streets, a café, a drawing area, and a bar, all designed to bring Van Gogh’s paintings to life.

Equipment and time requirements

Grande’s immersive experiences all use SENSORY4 (S4), a system that combines multichannel motion graphics, cinema-quality spatial audio, high-definition projectors and aroma.

Van Gogh Alive in Bangkok marked one of the largest SENSORY4 galleries ever created by Grande. The installation required approximately 60 projectors and 20 computers/media servers to cover over 1000 sqm of projection area. Despite the scale of the project, the technical installation once the venue was prepared took just ten days.

Collaboration with the licensee

Effective collaboration between Grande and the licensee is crucial to the success of each project. Regular video production meetings and cloud collaboration tools facilitate good communication.

Grande provides reference documentation, assets, and project plans to the licensee early on, which helps establish roles, responsibilities, and milestones. Building a strong working relationship from the outset is vital for the smooth execution of the project.

We have delivered 250 experience displays around the world and counting. We bring exceptional project management experience and technical skills to each project, and because we’re an in-house production team, all knowledge is shared.

Overcoming common challenges

Challenges vary in each project, particularly when aligning priorities among multiple stakeholders. Cultural differences also present unique obstacles, including variances in safety concerns and legal restrictions.

Striking a balance between enforcing safety standards and respecting cultural norms requires careful management. Each country has its regulatory environment, with Australia being heavily regulated, while Japan and Sweden are even more stringent.

Language barriers further complicate matters. In the case of Bangkok, where only two out of 22 people on-site spoke English, effective communication relies on visual cues, hand gestures, and body language. Learning by example and providing clear demonstrations become crucial, whether hanging a projector or building a mechanical structure.

But we’re well-versed in overcoming language barriers – the team has installed displays in over 185 cities in 33 languages.

Any successful installation relies on thorough planning, efficient processes, adequate preparation, patience and a can-do attitude.

Rewarding

It’s a humbling experience to play a part in defining projects alongside talented and professional individuals and collaborating with creative teams from around the world. Being able to witness the journey of a project from inception to reality is truly satisfying.

However, the ultimate reward lies in seeing the public genuinely enjoying and admiring what you’ve helped to create.

See more about Van Gogh Alive here. Contact Rob Kirk to discuss a Van Gogh Alive tour.

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