Like many of our FCPL patrons and staff, I attended Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience in Atlanta over the summer. And like everyone else who’s seen the exhibit, I was impressed. Colorful projections of Van Gogh’s sunflowers, landscapes, and almond blossoms on the walls of the large open space made his paintings come to life.
I was also captivated by the story of the famous artist who only sold one single painting in his lifetime. When his artistic friends encouraged him to paint more traditionally, Van Gogh followed his own vision and eventually became one of the most famous painters of all time. If you appreciate the art of Vincent van Gogh, you can thank his brother Theo who supported the artist financially and was one of his biggest fans.
Vincent by Barbara Stok presents the story of the Van Gogh brothers as a graphic biography that documents the painter's intensely creative period in Arles, Provence as well as his tragic struggle with mental illness. While I was familiar with Van Gogh’s self-inflicted injury I wasn’t aware that it was in response to disagreements with his friend and fellow artist Paul Gauguin. Stok's graphic novel shows Gauguin and Van Gogh's friendship deteriorating as their careers taking separate paths.
The colorful pencil-drawn illustrations in Vincent illuminate the troubled personal life of a uniquely gifted artist and make a great accompaniment to The Van Gogh Exhibition for patrons who have or plan to take in the exhibit. If you're looking for an easy-to-read and enlightening biography for the September 2021 Reading Challenge, check out Vincent by Barbara Stock.
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