“Van Gogh and Gauguin: Studio of the South” opens on Saturday to the public. Not only does the show delineate the link between Vincent Van Gogh and Paul Gauguin but it also awakens memories of Monet madness. Not since “Claude Monet: 1840-1926,” which drew almost a million visitors to the Art Institute during its six-month run in 1995, has such an almost guaranteed blockbuster threatened the capacity of the museum’s South Michigan Avenue gallery spaces, not to mention the patience of those who must plan ahead if they wish to see these remarkable works of art.
Monet had long lines, ticket scarcity and a hoopla that almost defined the word “blockbuster.” “Gogh-Gau” has that potential. While the Art Institute was the only place to see “Monet,” “Studio of the South,” will travel to the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam — not that many of us will be able to catch the show there if we miss it here. “Studio of the South” also has a shorter run than did “Monet.”
The Art Institute is expecting an estimated 750,000 visitors for the show, which runs from Saturday to Jan. 13, 2002. That’s a lotta people. So here’s a guide — tips ranging from practical to outlandish — to make sure that you get in and have an optimal viewing experience for “Studio of the South.”
1. JOIN: Art Institute members get first crack at almost everything, including show tickets. While the Great Unwashed (non-members) have to buy single-day tickets and all that jazz, members get free tickets and guaranteed admittance. An individual membership ($60 yearly) comes with two free tix to Gogh-Gau. Family memberships ($75 yearly) come with four tickets. You can join online at www.artic.edu, in person at the museum, or by calling 312-575-8000.
2. BUY NOW: According to Art Institute spokesperson Eileen Harakal, the first weekend is all but completely sold out. There are plenty of tickets available for the rest of the show’s run, however. If you have preferred dates or times, get those tickets now by calling 312-930-4040, go online to www.artic.edu, or at TicketMaster outlets. Single ticket prices are $10 on Tuesday, $20 all other days of the week. And not that we would presume to tell you where to buy tickets, but there’s a $3.50 per ticket convenience fee for TicketMaster purchases. At the museum, tickets are fee-free.
3. SLEEP OVER: Some 26 Chicago hotels are offering “Studio of the South” packages that, of course, come with free tickets. When Monet fever was at its peak, this was a way that many people were able to get tickets. Find out which hotels are participating by calling 312-443-3944.
4. MOONLIGHT, “STARRY NIGHT”: Check to see if the Art Institute is hiring in some capacity and get a job. You have access to the show, and you don’t even need a ticket.
5. THE LAST IS FIRST: The dated, time-stamped tickets for “Studio of the South” are spaced at half-hour intervals, even though the Art Institute estimates that it takes the average visitor 45 minutes to go through the entire show. This means that if you’re there at noon, you’re running into the 11:30 crowd while the 12:30 crowd is running into you. If you time your visit so that you get a ticket for the final show, you’ll have more elbow room.
6. ODD TIMES: It might be a good idea to visit the show during odd times, at the end of the day or at the very beginning of the day. Everyone wants to go on Saturday afternoon. But at 9 a.m. on a Monday, when the rest of the world is heading for work, Van Gogh and Gauguin can be all yours.
7. THE WORDS OF OTHERS: The audio tour, which takes about 45 minutes, serves as an excellent rundown of the show. It focuses on the particular works that most eloquently illustrate the relationship between the two artists. If you want to get a concentrated essence of the show, this a good way to go.
8. LISTEN TO THE CURATOR: “It would be helpful to get into the mood for Van Gogh/Gauguin by going to the Fullerton Auditorium and watching the 15-minute video in which people are introduced to the protagonists,” said Douglas Druick, the Art Institute’s Searle Curator of European Painting. “They can see what makes this show different, and the new picture that we aim to present. When they get to the exhibition, they’ll be hitting the ground running, as it were.
“We can talk about these pictures until the cows come home, but standing in front of them and seeing them, that’s the real power of this show.”
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“Van Gogh and Gauguin” will run at the Art Institute of Chicago, 111 S. Michigan Ave., through Jan. 13; 773-443-3600. Tickets: $10-$20.
