An immersive show based on paintings by Vincent Van Gogh will not open as planned on Friday (12 May) after crucial work at the Corn Exchange, in Brighton, overran.
The opening has been postponed although no new date has been announced for the “multi-sensory” exhibition at the newly restored grade I listed venue.
Van Gogh Alive, which has toured 80 cities around the world, was to be the first event since the Corn Exchange and Studio Theatre closed for restoration work six years ago.
Today (Tuesday 9 May), Andrew Comben, the chief executive of the Brighton Dome and Brighton Festival, announced the postponement.
He said: “I am very sorry to announce a delay to the opening of Van Gogh Alive which was planned for Friday 12 May at Brighton Dome.
“This is due to further work being required to the building to ensure critical safety systems in our Corn Exchange and Studio Theatre are functioning correctly.
“We are working hard to revise plans and will share a further update as soon as possible.
“Any impacted Van Gogh Alive ticket holders will be contacted via email as soon as possible and invited to select an alternative date.
“These building system issues have only revealed themselves at a very late stage which is enormously disappointing for everyone involved in the refurbishment of Brighton Dome.
“We sincerely apologise to all affected customers for any inconvenience caused.
“We also appreciate the enormous effort being made by our project team, contractors and consultants in order to rectify any issues as soon as possible.”
Work to restore the 19th century Corn Exchange started in early 2017 and has been beset by hold ups including the discovery of a Quaker burial ground, the coronavirus pandemic lockdowns and the financial collapse of the initial main contractor.
The £28 million restoration was originally due to have been finished in late 2018, with the completion date having to be pushed back a number of times.
According to the Brighton Dome and Brighton Festival, “Van Gogh Alive is not an art exhibition in the traditional sense.
“It is an immersive, multi-sensory art experience combining high-definition projections of Van Gogh’s paintings with digital surround sound and aromas of Provence.
“Imagery and animations are projected at a scale that offers visitors the ability to see the details of the artist’s work like never before. More than 3,000 images transform each surface.
“Van Gogh Alive is the world’s most visited immersive art exhibition, mesmerising a global audience of over 8.5 million and having visited 80 cities.”
Looking forward to seeing this when it opens -https://frameless.com/ in London was amazing.