top of page

Vincent van Gogh's undying influence and appeal




For as long as I can remember in my art career and actually even more in my life entwined with the creativity of my art and the depth of my drowning mental illness, it has always been Vincent there.


For me Vincent Van Gogh is a man born in another time who I intimately connect to on more days than most human beings.


He was a man who confronted the world and captured his own unique view of it. He had the worst luck in the world since he was only celebrated as possibly the greatest artist after he committed suicide and was never able to sell one painting.


He was a very lonely man on a quest for meaning and purpose and he kept looking till the very end.


His paintings leave one breathless and transported to another land, not quite like the present or the past.


He helped change art and was criticized badly for it.


He was luckless in love and had no children. But he did have his brother Theo, who loved him and supported him more than anything else. This on many days I do not even have, a deep connection with any family.


His art depicted the raw beauty of life and people and nature but also the absolute misery that comes with being alive.


He went to asylum and mental institutions numerous times like I had too throughout his life and furthermore mutilated himself to the point that he sliced off his ear, the bare minimum I'd ever done is hit my head or hold a knife. Him cutting himself was an act of desperation and his mental health just continued to declined because he had none of the comforts known to a normal man.


Though I must acquince, I do not think self harm or contemplating suicide should be the way we are forced to handle and deal with pain, but then again, I understand why we do it in these troubled times.


Furthermore Vincent's nonexistent career was tormenting him even more.


And then Vincent shot himself, ending his life to suffer in the deepest of physical wounds for a day and a night.


I wish there was a time and space where we can meet, so that I can finally connect with someone, finally in my life, to not feel so alone anymore.


I would tell him how he changed the world and made my mine so much deeper and more beautiful and worthy.


I would say thank you and "I'm sorry that you suffered for all your sanity, and no one truly ever understood you, nor the stars you had in your eyes."

bottom of page