Seeing the world through the eyes of Vincent Van Gogh is to see it as vivid and impassioned particularly when magnified onto larger than life surfaces unveiling the emotion behind the brushstrokes.
The other treasure at the Dalí museum is the Vincent Van Gogh show currently on exhibit. “Van Gogh Alive” consists of a few rooms made up of plain white walls serving as screens. Paintings are projected onto the walls as if they were movies and indeed some of the works are animated. A train travels through the French countryside. Stars and bubbles light up a screen representing his intake of absinthe. The scale of the art makes one feel as if they are one with the painting. Vivid colors and fervent brush marks divulge the artist’s passion. The eyes in his portraits pierce into the viewer as if Van Gogh himself is staring into you. Quotes are displayed onto the floor revealing the artist’s thoughts.
The last room of the show is quite large with multiple surfaces depicting his art all around the viewers. I preferred the intimacy of the small rooms, but it is quite dramatic to be surrounded by so many of his images at once in the larger space. The spell is briefly broken when another viewer steps in front of a screen. To be alone with the images felt like being in a room with Vincent. It is magical.
The show runs through April 11 of this year. You will need advance tickets which you can purchase here. I highly recommend venturing over to lovely St. Petersburg to have a day with Vincent.
His works and quotes don’t need further commentary.
“But for one’s health as you say, it is very necessary to work in the garden and see the flowers growing.”
“I dream of painting and then I paint my dream.”
He will stay with you long after you have gone.
“A great fire burns within me, but no one stops to warm themselves at it, and passersby only see a wisp of smoke.”
“I put my heart and soul into my work and have lost my mind in the process.”
“Though I am often in the depths of misery, there is still calmness, pure harmony and music inside me.”
“I feel that there is nothing more truly artistic than to love people.”
Casa V Interiors is as passionate about interiors as Van Gogh was about painting.