Profound ideas arise out of chaos. Madness. Risk.
Although - the mad madame makes no choice, does she - to be mad, or sane? If she’s sane enough to choose, she’s not mad enough to fly. Sanity will lead her to lists, and lists to obscurity.
Vincent Van Gogh had brother Theo in Paris to send him money and promote his art. We revere the tormented painter and mention his brother in passing. But who’s the more troubled, the obsessed genius or the dutiful keeper of lists? Who sacrifices more for art that bejewels the world? And is it even possible for one artist to hold two allegiances in her belly, the bold invention, the bland accounting?
‘Vincent wasn’t only an inspired, mad artist; he was a great painter desperately trying to remain sane. He saw the world with a rare intensity which gave great power to his work. And it was while looking and painting that he knew the greatest pleasure of which his tormented nature was capable.'
Martin Gayford, The Yellow House: Nine Turbulent Weeks in Arles
Poor, tormented Vincent. I see his work and weep hot orbs of gratitude. If it hadn’t been for Theo, not a drop of noble Vincent would remain.
Painting by Vincent Van Gogh, The Sower
- Susan Weber's blog
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The museum
I was stationed in W. Germany '72-'75 while serving in the U.S.A.F. I visited the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, http://www.vangoghmuseum.nl/vgm/index.jsp. I didn't know anything about art then and this was as good a place as any to start learning. Stun guns had not been invented yet but I sort of felt like I had been hit by one. No matter how high the print quality of Van Gogh books, calendars, posters, etc., it is impossible to effectively reproduce the broad and thick brush strokes. The other thing that struck me was that the paint looks like it is still wet. He was a true genius.
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Mark
Classy giants
I'm so glad Vincent (as he's referred to always in The Yellow House) was a prolific writer of letters, just for the small insight into his mind. But, as you say, it is the pictures that speak for him.
Your stun gun metaphor reminds me of how Alec Baldwin talks about his first exposure to classical music (in a video here).
Thanks for joining the conversation, Mark.
Some thoughts on balancing art and responsibility
Is it possible to "hold two allegiances, ...bold invention, the bland accounting"? I think it is possible, but only by a very disciplined person.
A few examples of artists in various genres and fields that leap into mind are William Shakespeare (playwrite and theater owner), William Carlos Williams (poet and successful pediatrician and gp), Jim Croce (songwriter and truck driver), and Andy Warhol (highly valued commercial artist, fine artist, and art entrepreneur).
Then there are the millions of Americans and other artists throughout the world who persevere at their "outside" art while holding down jobs and life situations that occupy much of their attention. Their work may not be displayed today in the MoMA or mentioned in the pages of the New York Times, but some of it is regularly purchased by people with an eye for beauty at art fairs and in unsung galleries in the less trendy cities and towns, as well as being summarily swiped free (in the case of songs) on the internet.
It is true that any occupation that requires attention 24/7 (law or accounting firm, running a household with growing children, an entrepreneurial business) usually precludes the kind of time and attention needed to nurture art.
It is also true that there are many artists like Vincent Van Gogh, Franz Kafka, Hank Williams, and thousands of others who battled depression, addictions and sundry mental illnesses while they created great works which we recognize today. Most of us even know a few artists like this in our own neighborhoods or cities -- it will only be by chance society at large will recognize their creations.
One of my art teachers once emphasized to us how important family support is to a young artist. Another artist concluded (wrongly, I think, although I know where he was coming from) that it impossible to both be an artist and try to live a typical American middle class existence, with family, household, and social responsibilities.
We should be grateful that Vincent had his insightful and loyal brother Theo to turn to for support. What would it be like to live in a world without his work? Would we feel the void?
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Water Color Visions
I for one would sorely miss
I for one would sorely miss his work, especially after 'spending quality time' (a quite mad quality, at times) with him and Gauguin in the above mentioned pages over the past weeks. I don't doubt there is art produced through balance. But I often wonder how much richer and more imaginative creations might emerge with the focus, intensity and freedom of the wild spirits.
Vincent knew he had to calm his mental anguish enough to function. What strikes me is how much those of us drenched in real world responsibility calm so much mental anguish out of ourselves, that we hunger for inspiration. Vincent didn't often lack for inspiration, or so it seems.
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