A new kind of immersive art experience, "Immersive Museum," is being held. It also offers a portrait experience with "AI Van Gogh."

The immersive museum "Immersive Museum TOKYO 2023" is being held at Nihonbashi Mitsui Hall. The exhibition runs until Sunday, October 29.


This exhibition is an immersive art experience that uses the latest technology to depict the world of Post-Impressionist artworks, featuring artists such as Vincent van Gogh and Paul Gauguin. The first installment, held last year and focusing on Impressionism, drew over 200,000 visitors and was highly popular.

Visitors can "experience" Post-Impressionist art through projections covering walls and floors, accompanied by music. This includes Georges Seurat's pointillist technique incorporating scientific color theory, Paul Signac's focus on natural forms, and works created side-by-side by Van Gogh and Gauguin during their shared living arrangement. A photo session follows the projection, allowing visitors to take pictures within the space.

Approximately 80 works can be experienced through a 20-minute video and music presentation across 10 scenes.

Prior to the opening, official ambassador Yuka Kageyama of Hinatazaka46 experienced it firsthand. "The distinctive touches of Post-Impressionism come through both visually and aurally. The resonant sound, as if the brush were placed on your heart, was captivating." "It's enjoyable not just to view each painting individually, but to experience multiple works side-by-side, feeling the flow of the era. I think anyone can find paintings they'll get hooked on and lose themselves in, so I hope many people will come visit."


The venue also features an interactive area where visitors can experience portraits recreated using AI that replicates Van Gogh's techniques. Visitors can see their own portrait, imagined as "what if Van Gogh existed today and painted your portrait."

(Left) Sitting in the chair before a blank canvas, sensors recognize the guest's face and position, then paint using techniques that reproduce the color patterns and brushstrokes of past Van Gogh works. (Right) Ms. Kageyama holding a portrait painted by AI Van Gogh.

The collaboration cafe "Immersive Museum Cafe" also features original menu items inspired by Post-Impressionist works. Additionally, all visitors under elementary school age receive a "Picture Book Kit," co-developed with the magazine VERY, which teaches Post-Impressionist techniques.

Comment from Takahiro Noguchi, Immersive Museum Producer, Dentsu Inc.
While genuine paintings are truly irreplaceable masterpieces, only a limited number of people can travel to see them in person. We conceived the Immersive Museum to explore whether everyone in Japan could enjoy overseas masterpieces in some other moving way, on a scale of 100,000 or even 1,000,000 people. Our concept shifts from "viewing paintings" like in a museum to "experiencing paintings" by immersing yourself within them. We aimed to let visitors feel details—like the brushstrokes, color palette, and the thickness and layering of paint—that are difficult to perceive in the actual artwork, experiencing the world the artist created with all five senses.

This year marks the second iteration of the Immersive Museum. We believe the idea of immersing oneself in art through a full-screen experience can be expanded beyond paintings to encompass various art forms and content, including music, film, dance, and theater. Guided by the principle of "bringing wonderful content, previously accessible only to a limited few, to a wider audience," we intend to continue exploring diverse immersive experiences.

Event Overview
Event Name: Immersive Museum TOKYO 2023 "POST IMPRESSIONISM"
Period: Friday, July 7, 2023 – Sunday, October 29, 2023
Location: Nihonbashi Mitsui Hall (COREDO Muromachi 1, 4F, 2-2-1 Nihonbashi Muromachi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo)
Official Website:https://immersive-museum.jp/