This week on Here’s What We Know, Gary welcomes back John Zaller, the brilliant executive producer of Exhibition Hub, who has brought some of the most breathtaking immersive experiences to life—including Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience and Claude Monet: The Immersive Experience.
John takes us deeper into his creative process, sharing stories from his most impactful projects. He explores how immersive environments can reshape our perceptions and reveals why art continues to serve as a sanctuary for so many. Tune in now!
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In this episode, you’ll discover:
- How immersive exhibitions are designed to make audiences feel like they’re stepping into another world.
- The fascinating story behind Dialogue in the Dark—an exhibition that turns the lights off and shifts perspectives on ability and disability.
- How Claude Monet’s deteriorating eyesight influenced his most famous works.
- Why art has the power to provide comfort, connection, and escape—even in the busiest, most chaotic times.
Quotations:
“Whenever I think about creating these experiences, I’ve always thought about them as a sort of 3D walkthrough novel, 3D walkthrough story that we created on paper first, and then it comes to life in this big dimensional structure, and then you’re wandering through it.” ~ John Zaller
“Photographs can show you what something looks like. Photography had just been invented around the time that he (Monet) was born. People said the painting was dead. But a photograph can’t let you know how it feels; a painting can.” ~ John Zaller
“It’s rare for artists from any era to see success when you think about the number of people that are doing creative work and the number of people that are recognized.” ~ John Zaller
“It’s always great to see a talented artist get some success in their life because it is so often the case that we get more interested in an artist after they’re gone because we start to reflect on that body of work. And that’s tragic.” ~ John Zaller
“It is tragic when you have talented artists who struggle their whole lives because they’re so dedicated to their craft that don’t really get that recognition.” ~ John Zaller
“We love artists so much that they show us another way of seeing. They show us another way of being. They show us they give us another avenue of thought. It’s these new gifts.” ~ John Zaller
“What makes people flock to these immersive experiences is that they have a chance to get away from the craziness in the world. To be completely surrounded in this theme and the beauty of the art, especially Claude Monet, whose work was so serene and so rich in terms of color, and give you a chance to just reflect and just be.” ~ John Zaller
“To take more time. And it really is that simple of stopping what you’re doing, looking around, and taking it in. And that’s what makes these artists so special is they give us that ability. But we can learn from them too in the sense that we have that same opportunity. We just have to give ourselves that time.” ~ John Zaller
“Trying to remain humble is the hardest part, I think, for a successful artist. And that really, the way you do that is by staying in the work because the work is what you approve upon, but it’s also what shows you what your limits are every time.”~ John Zaller
“We’re looking for that transcendent experience. We’re either looking to connect with the past to validate that spark within us or to nurture that spark within us through these transcendent experiences that other immersive experiences.” ~ John Zaller
Bio:
John Zaller is the executive producer of Exhibition Hub, a curator and distributor of world-renowned immersive exhibitions. He has honed his unique skills of production, visual art, and set design for more than 25 years while working in the museum, entertainment, retail, and attractions/theme parks industries through his own immersive design firm, KRE8 360, that specializes in creating story-driven, traveling immersion experiences. He has contributed to creating and overseeing multiple immersive experiential environments including Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition; Jurassic World: The Exhibition; Bodies the Exhibition; Star Trek: The Exhibition; and the Themed Entertainment Association’s Thea award-winning experience at the St. Louis Aquarium at Union Station. Most recently, Zaller has been credited for his contributions and skillful expertise on Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience, which was named the 2021 best immersive experience by USA Today and among the 12 best immersive experiences in the world by CNN. He has been working with Exhibition Hub for more than a decade and is responsible for the implementation of all Exhibition Hub properties in the United States.
Guest Contact Info:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jwzaller/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/exhibitionhub_eh/
Claude Monet The Immersive Experience: https://monetexpo.com/
Bubble Planet in Denver: https://bubble-planet.com/denver/
