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Van Gogh in America

  • Posted on January 17, 2023 at 8:51 pm
This is the front of the Detroit Institute of Arts with the “Thinker” showcased.

Countless years ago when I was an art student at Michigan State University, I drove over to the Toledo Art Museum. I remember being mesmerized by a simple Van Gogh painting of wheat fields and crows. I stood there wondering how on earth he could possibly paint wind because it sure seemed like the wind was blowing the wheat. Since then, Vincent has always been my favorite artist. So, when I read about the Van Gogh in America exhibit I really wanted to go. I, the retired woman, who is still afraid of getting Covid and avoids crowded spaces. I told my sister in-law, Freda, about it, and she was all set to join me. All of my mental excuses were gone about traveling and Covid and we made out plans.

We went down on Sunday but purchased our tickets online which meant we were set for 1:30 on Sunday afternoon. We arrived on time and struggled with parking but lucked out in the end by getting the last close space. It only cost $15 which I count as a steal. Entering the Detroit Institute of Art made me realize that thousands of other people were feeling drawn to the exhibit just as I was. Most were unmasked. We masked up but we were definitely in the minority. The line was long as they counted people off and only let so many in at a time. I couldn’t believe the crowd. I am used to attending art museums in quieter settings where you don’t have to climb over people to see the exhibits. Many people seemed like sheep still staying in lines as we moved through the exhibit. We were told once we were in we could go through at our own pace and interests but, alas, people truly remained sheep.

I took many pictures. I was amazed at the breadth and even style changes of Vincent’s work. So many pieces reminded me of other artists as well. I wasn’t expecting that. Some would have been his contemporaries and others must have been influenced by Vincent in some small way.

I noticed that some paintings were larger than I expected them to be after viewing them in books and some were smaller as well. The chair painting seemed like a lonely self portrait of Vincent himself to me. As I was walking through the exhibit I found myself wondering what Vincent would do today with access to all of the different materials and sources available today. Vincent lived a simple life. He didn’t have access to the array of materials and sources we have today. If I want to see someone’s art I can simply Google it. Vincent had his mind and sometimes meager materials. There were times when he didn’t have oils to paint with but he drew. It makes me wonder about what and how he thought. How did he interpret things the way he did. He obviously had a love of the working poor. His paintings and drawings almost caress them as they toil at digging the soil or working at the loom. He sees in them more than the burden they may carry. He sees their humanity. He sees the beauty in the ugly. He caresses their toil as if they are somehow closer to God.

Strangely, the clog and shoe pieces really stood out for me. The shoes made me think about my father. Dad was a teacher and a farmer. He worked harder than any man I know and I respected him more as well. When he died in 2006, I saved his shoes. I don’t know why but I always thought I would draw or paint them. I even moved them with me to my new home. Now, I don’t know exactly where they are as I still have boxes to unpack in the garage. The shoes that Vincent created took me back to daddy. There he was back in my head putting on his shoes and getting ready to go work in his garden. I could feel the love I have for dad in Vincent’s artwork. My emotions were surfacing and it was powerful. Vincent made me think about dad. I wonder what Vincent was thinking when he drew this image that was so powerful in my mind.

Some of Vincent’s landscape scenes were gentle mixtures of a bouquet of colors. Swirling, lovely colors that were dreamy in many ways that made the eyes move gently through the painting. Olive trees that moved in the soft breeze of the day and flowers that swayed in a beautiful array of color. These are magical paintings. How could a man understand the subtle beauty of a bouquet of roses? Vincent painted beautiful flowers that somehow became more beautiful with his brushstrokes. He caressed the flowers and the background as well. My favorite flower painting at the exhibit were these roses. So lovely. I would have bought a mug with those roses on it. I had to settle for one with the master himself, but that’s okay.

There was a simple drawing called Sorrow of a woman who obviously appears to have lost it all. That piece reminded me of Kathe Kollwitz. I wondered if she was ever influenced by Vincent. Her work was from the time of war in Germany so she is way after the time of Vincent but, her drawings have some of the same feeling to me as some of Vincent’s drawings but especially this piece. She may have been influenced by many artists and of course Vincent influences many artists today, even myself. I love the swirly backgrounds and the emotion I feel from Vincent’s work. It moves me unlike other artist’s work. I somehow feel connected to it in ways I don’t always feel from other artists and I don’t always understand.

I saw in a few paintings a definite influence he must have picked up from Georges Seurat. I was surprised by this. Those paintings still had the contrasting colors of brushstrokes but they were very small, very much like the pointillism of Seurat. I was sure on viewing these that he must have respected and loved Seurat’s work. These pieces were more controlled with intense little brushstrokes that were mind boggling when thinking of this man who created over 900 pieces of art in his short life working for around 10 years. How long he must have worked to capture and achieve this affect I cannot imagine. There were some other pieces that reminded me of both Gauguin and Renoir. It must have been exciting for these artists to share their ideas together. Today we have many advantages but what fun it must have been to live amongst other artists and create art for art’s sake. To live, breathe, drink, and eat art. Today we are all wrapped up in our cellphones and social media. It is hard to imagine the life of an artist like Van Gogh living small and yet creating such beauty. It boggles my mind. It is wonderful to take in the rich colors and soft palette of many of his pieces or the bright ones and the wonderful contrast he creates with color. The movement he creates with brushstrokes creates a dreamy, mysterious quality. A still life of fruit suddenly becomes more about the ever moving and gyrating background. I forget the fruit and start lingering on the swirling lines. My eyes are captivated. I ended the show looking at a Starry Night piece. No. Not THE Starry Night as it was absent from the show, but one that is still very captivating none the less. I leave in the darkness of that night feeling like we have received a gift of light from one of the most gifted artists of all time.

We went to the little pop up Van Gogh restaurant where they were serving little French type sandwiches. Nothing really special as the baguette was much too hard for my liking, but the Chocolate mousse type dessert was divine and melted in my mouth. I bought a sketchbook and this mug in the gift shop for my little souvenirs of the day. The best part will be my memory of receiving the gift of love that is Van Gogh. I am hoping this will motivate me to start creating again. He is so inspirational and I hold him deep in my heart as I prepare my studio for more work to be created.

In a final note, the show will run through Sunday, January 22nd, until late into the night. If tickets are still available you can find them here.  https://dia.org/

Aid for Hurricanes, How About Detroit?

  • Posted on July 31, 2013 at 5:44 pm

 

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Detroit has been bleeding for years and nobody seemed to care but now that the wound is completely open and oozing there appears to be even less protection for Detroit from the doom of bankruptcy.  Is it doom or is it part of the long-term plan for revitalization of the city?  From my viewpoint, much like the carpetbaggers in the south, the entrepreneurs of today are swooping in to pick on Detroit’s carcass and digest the last remaining morsels of a once vibrant city for the sole purpose of making a buck.  There is money to “be made” in Detroit and politicians seem eager to get in on the action.  Everyone knows it except for the downtrodden, jobless, and those just getting by.  Detroit, which was the motor city, the home of Motown, and the birthplace of so many creative people is now the dead carcass left for the pickings of the rich entrepreneurs with connections.  I have no doubt that Detroit is going to raise again much like a Phoenix.  However, many people are going to lose a lot in this transition period.

 

It is difficult for me to understand why the federal government hasn’t taken much interest in the cause of saving Detroit.  I see what has happened in Detroit as being no different from a natural disaster much like Katrina, Sandy Hook, or the countless hurricanes in Florida.  The federal government recognizes the need to swoop in and revitalize places hit by “natural disasters”.  However, Michigan hit by its own form of a natural disaster, albeit economic, simply is ignored and left to its own devices.  I am sure some people will remind me to remember the auto bailout.  However, that was for a company, not for the people of Michigan.  Yes, many benefited because they didn’t lose their job, but nothing has been done about the losses in Detroit.  I still cannot believe that Detroit’s population has dwindled to just over 700,000.  It is just amazing to think of all of those people leaving.  Much of the disaster that is now named Detroit was caused by unfair trade practices and the push for globalization.  Our government pushed for these policies, which have hurt so many in our country and have continued to cause depletion in manufacturing industries across the country.  There are probably many other cities, like Detroit, that are much in the same boat.

 

While watching the news I learned that we are continuing our financial aid to Egypt.  This caused me to look up how much we spend on aid to other countries and I discovered that it is around $50 billion a year.  We invest in these countries seemingly to promote our own agenda.  However, why are we ignoring the continued plight in our own country?  Everyone I talk to wants the roads fixed, bridges repaired, school buildings made safe, and many other things completed.  Nothing ever is done.  All we hear about is privatization.  The drumbeat is, “Government can’t do anything right and private corporations do it right.”  Is this what is happening in Detroit?  Are we selling off Detroit to private corporations?  Is Bill Gates or someone like him, going to buy the DIA?  Every time I drive to Chicago, I cringe at the thought of privatization when I pay those ungodly toll trolls.  Recently, I saw the results of privatization in my own classroom at school.  I saw a room prepped for the school year that just lacks some basic cleaning.  It is a matter of pride.  I remember the pride that the local workers took in my room when they had managed to get all the paint splatters out of the sink.  I don’t see that in my room any more.  Schools in Michigan have been nudged towards privatization of some services and this could eventually lead to teaching as well.  I personally don’t see how a “for profit” company is going to make schools better and I am not sure it is the best choice for Detroit.  However, I don’t have a real voice in this fight.  I am just a voter.  I am not a citizen of Detroit and our senators don’t seem particularly moved to do anything about this issue either.  All I can do is voice my opinion about the issue.  It isn’t hard to see where I am coming from.  I am just a online voice for the little people, the voiceless, those that don’t have the money or means to be an entrepreneur and go out and make a profit off from this situation.

I just don’t want the Detroit Institute of Art to be sold off in a fire sale to the top bidder.  I don’t want people to lose their pensions for pennies on the dollar.  I think we are better than that.  I think we are a nation that when push comes to shove we stand up for each other.  We take care of our own.  It’s time we started doing this again.  We have to stop looking at our neighbors and worrying about the “SNAP”, they may be on, and start thinking what we can do to help each other.  How can I make my students lives better when they are having a hard time?  Detroit is no different.  How can we help this situation as a nation?  We step up when other states face national disasters why can’t we do this for Detroit?

 

Detroit holds potential to be a great destination city as it is unique in its placement on the water and is a heartbeat from Canada.  It has treasures like the DIA, Belle Isle, and of course other nearby attractions like the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village.  It is obvious that the entrepreneurs are aware of all of this.  We cannot let all of this become some kind of playground for the rich and powerful.  Detroit has to be kept open to the public.  It cannot and should not become a place where only the connected are wanted.  Stephen Colbert and many others have made jokes about the city.  Detroit has become a laughing stock but seriously can’t we do more?  When Stephen spoke to the Detroit Free Press editor, Stephen Henderson, it is interesting to note that Henderson said his wife is the marketing director at the DIA.  Let’s hope that doesn’t mean she is ready to market the art.  I will never forget the Diego Rivera mural, which to me represents Detroit in the best way.  It doesn’t belong anywhere but in Detroit.  Detroit is bleeding.  Where are the Red Cross and FEMA when we need them?