Boston Van Gogh immersive exhibit postponed

An immersive exhibit dedicated to Vincent van Gogh has delayed its Boston debut less than 48 hours before it was scheduled to open to the public.

“Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience,” the first of two traveling exhibits dedicated to the Dutch artist set to arrive in Boston this year, will not open on Thursday, Sept. 2 as scheduled, according to comments left by a Facebook page that has heavily promoted and sold tickets to the event.

In response to a customer who said they had purchased tickets for the exhibit next week, an administrator for the Facebook page “Van Gogh Expo” wrote that the exhibit’s Boston opening would be delayed.

“We are happy to bring our Van Gogh immersive experience in Boston,” the message reads. “Unfortunately, we have had to delay our Boston opening, and reschedulings will be communicated via email with all ticket-holders. The venue will be announced very soon. We appreciate your patience, and we apologize again. Thank you!”

Confusion has run rampant since Fever, the European-based company that co-produced “Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience,” first announced back in March that the exhibit would come to Boston in September.

Many customers were unsure whether they had bought tickets for “Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience” or “Imagine Van Gogh,” a similar traveling Van Gogh exhibit set to open at the SoWa Power Station in Boston on December 21.

Also confusing for customers was that Fever was selling tickets for “Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience” through the website SecretBoston.com and on social media as “Secret Media Boston,” despite having no affiliation with Secret Boston, the events-focused community that has been sharing advice on things to do in Boston since 2011.

Michelle McCormack, the founder of the original Secret Boston, told Boston.com in March that she was “inundated” with calls and emails for weeks from customers who worried that they had been duped. (After discussion of legal action by both companies this spring, Fever ultimately rebranded the Secret Boston social pages as “Boston Uncovered,” and now runs BostonUncovered.com, while the domain SecretBoston.com is no longer active.)

Customers complained about the lack of tangible information about “Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience” — specifically where the event would be held. For close to six months, organizers teased the exhibit as having a “secret location” that would be announced “very soon.”

As recently as 24 hours ago, the Van Gogh Expo Facebook page responded to a customer who asked about handicapped parking and seating by saying that the venue would be “announced soon,” while making no mention of the exhibit’s postponement.

A Fever spokesperson referred Boston.com’s request for comment to Hunt & Gather, a U.S.-based PR firm involved with the exhibition. A representative for the firm, who had previously been in contact with Boston.com as recently as Aug. 25 regarding a press preview of “Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience,” blamed “transportation logistics” for the delayed opening date.

“Due to the impacts of COVID-19 restrictions on global transportation logistics, we have encountered delays in shipment arrivals for the Boston experience,” the spokesperson wrote in an email to Boston.com

Despite the postponement, it appears that customers are currently still able to purchase tickets to “Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience.” Boston.com was able to buy a ticket for a Friday, Sept. 30 visit, and an automated receipt made no mention of any postponement.

“Thank you for your purchase,” the confirmation email reads. “We’re sure our experience will make a big impression(ism) on you!”