Inspiration in unexpected places
Reflections on the work I saw in Amsterdam
Last week you didn’t get a newsletter because I was in Amsterdam! It was my first time in the Netherlands, and it was a wonderful trip full of inspiration for both my students and me.
We saw so much incredible work - Van Gogh’s Sunflowers, Irises, and Almond Blossoms. Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring, Rembrandt’s The Night Watch. Iconic paintings I learned about in art school and now teach to my students were hanging in front of my eyes, letting me soak up the brushstrokes, cracks, and stretched canvas fibres that a book or screen can never articulate.
I expected to be wowed by these incredible Dutch painters, and I was. However, at the Van Gogh Museum, I was surprised to find my favourite exhibition of the trip was Matthew Wong’s, a Chinese-Canadian artist whose work was far from home.
The retrospective Painting as a Last Resort highlights the commonalities between the contemporary painter and Van Gogh. The similarities in their paintings was intentional, Wong was inspired by Van Gogh and the influence is clear in his works. The similarities in their stories, however, was not - both of their lives were lost to depression before they turned 40.
My first impression of Wong’s work was the vibrancy. The brushstrokes were urgent and energetic, the kind of decisive mark making that comes when someone is working at a breakneck speed as he did - it’s reported that Wong would finish up to five paintings in a day. His paintings featured large landscapes with tiny figures, giving the impression that maybe he believed there was something bigger than ourselves out there.
Or maybe that’s just my own wishful thinking.
I also wondered if we are once again falling into the trap of romanticizing the artist as a tortured genius, as we did to poor Van Gogh long after he was able to see a scrap of validation for his short, prolific lifetime of work. However, though Wong was on the cusp of fame before the end of his career and did receive some recognition while he was alive, the show I saw was the first retrospective of Wong’s work in Europe, which makes me believe he will have many achievements he will never get to see.
I left Painting as a Last Resort feeling both inspired and cynical.
I know a few things for sure: Wong’s talent is undeniable, his paintings are captivating, and the raw energy I soaked up from each work created a push for me to get back into the studio that I haven’t felt from another artist in a long time.
I also have to ask myself, if he was still here, would I be seeing his work in the Van Gogh Museum? We’ll never know.
Ultimately though, I’m sure everyone who loves him is happy and proud to see his work alongside the master’s, getting the recognition it deserves. And since this show is how I discovered the great work of Matthew Wong, I’m grateful for it too.
Studio sessions this week: 1
Bright side:
Not only did I spend a wonderful week in Europe, I got to see my best friend Natalie Field! Here we are enjoying a ride down the Amsterdam canals.
Fear buster:
Yesterday I watched an episode of Survivor in the studio, and I have to say, it felt pretty nice gessoing panels and picking out paint colours while the contestants lifted heavy things in the sand and tried to catch fish to eat. Perspective!
Extra credit:
Over at Studio Mates, we have exciting workshops coming up at the end of March. My Exploring Colour Harmony session will cover:
Introduction to colour theory and its application in art
Exploring different colour schemes and their impact on composition
Techniques for creating harmonious colour palettes
Hands-on exercises and demonstrations