Van Gogh anyone?
Every month or two we have a thing called "Friday Forum" at our church. It's a presentation, usually about about a scientific/historical/political/or arts topic, with a short discussion afterwards and supper. Nice friendly, informal atmosphere, open to anyone.
This Friday (8th Sept) we looking at "the art and faith of Vincent Van Gogh", by Peter Majendie (the guy behind the impressive Opawa Methodist Easter art installations).
Time: 7:30pm
Place: HPCC (Hornby Presbyterian Community Church, 27 Amyes Rd, Hornby)
Bring: Money for food if you feel like it ($2 for proper coffee, $3 for cake)
See you there if you're keen :)
This Friday (8th Sept) we looking at "the art and faith of Vincent Van Gogh", by Peter Majendie (the guy behind the impressive Opawa Methodist Easter art installations).
Time: 7:30pm
Place: HPCC (Hornby Presbyterian Community Church, 27 Amyes Rd, Hornby)
Bring: Money for food if you feel like it ($2 for proper coffee, $3 for cake)
See you there if you're keen :)
posted by Matthew P | 9:58 pm
1 Comments:
I thought it turned out to be a very good presentation. Peter talked about how Van Gogh lead quite a misunderstood and lonely life. He was given the exact same name as his brother who died a year (to the day) before his birth, so he always struggled with identity, considered himself as something of a replacement – hence the many self-portraits.
His father was a Dutch reformed preacher, and that was what he also wanted to be, but he failed theological college. He had great compassion for the poor and oppressed, and became a missionary with German coal miners. But instead of living in the proper missionary lodgings, he lived a tin shed with the miners, and if any of them was injured or unable to work, he would work the mines in their place, giving the money to their family. Unfortunately, the church ceased supporting him as he “wasn’t living the appropriate lifestyle of a missionary”. He was quite critical of the failure of the church to represent Christianity, and often painted cold, lofty and dark church buildings.
In his life he was disregarded as a painter, and only ever sold one painting, despite being prolific in the amount of paintings he did (I think at one stage he did 900 paintings over five years). His brother supported him financially for most of his life, although he spent most of his money on alcohol and painting materials. His life was one of loneliness, and he represented this often in his paintings with the use of empty chairs. He had a mental disorder which he was quite aware of and spent some time in asylums, but would usually ‘paint his way back to sanity’. At age 37, he shot himself. It wasn’t until a decade or two after his death that his genius was recognised, and his works became popular.
Vincent was influenced by Rembrandt among others. Once he went to see Rembrandt’s ‘The prodigal son’, and stood transfixed in front of it for four hours. A good point Peter made was that too often people are too critical or analytical of artworks, and don’t allow the sufficient time to experience an artwork, when that is usually what is required to appreciate them, and Van Gogh’s paintings are no exception.
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