Sunday Selections was originally brought to us by Kim, of Frogpondsrock, as an ongoing meme where participants could post previously unused photos languishing in their files.
Huge thanks to Cie who gave me this wonderful Sunday Selections image.
The meme was then continued by River at Drifting through life. Sadly she has now stepped aside (though she will join us some weeks), and I have accepted the mantle.
The rules are so simple as to be almost non-existent. Post some photos under the title Sunday Selections and link back to me. Clicking on any of the photos will make them embiggen.
I usually run with a theme. This week I am taking you to an amazing exhibition we went to during Enlighten. I have long loved Van Gogh's work, and went I heard that Van Gogh Alive was coming to my city (finally) we HAD to go. And were not disappointed.
It was staged in a giant marquee and judging by the comments we heard everyone loved it as much as we did. If it comes to your city - GO. The works were projected onto the walls, the floor, the ceiling of the marquee and music and a limited commentary played. Some of the projections were so large you could see individual brush strokes.
You will be shocked and surprised to learn that lots of photos follow.
This is his bedroom. You could actually walk into it, and some people took selfies there - which I found a little sacrilegious.
He painted lots of self portraits - perhaps in part because he could afford to pay the model.
Cafe Terrace at Night - in connection with a WEP challenge I wrote a poem about this painting which you can find HERE.
You could even sit down in the middle of the sunflowers...
There was even a facsimile of his Cafe Terrace at Night where you could sit down and have a coffee, a glass of wine or a meal.It was incredibly moving, very beautiful and I am so very glad that it came to our city. I hope you find beauty and gratitude in your week too. Coincidentally sunflowers popped up in another venue in my city later in March. I will post photos from that event later. And, just at the moment sunflowers make me think of Van Gogh and of Ukraine.
Beautiful images, aren't they EC.
ReplyDeleteBob Bushell: They were. How I wish he had been appreciated while he was alive.
DeleteI, too, love Van Gogh. I’ve seen some of his works twice, the highlight, Starry Night, in Amsterdam. This immersive exhibit is a Van Gogh celebration by the look of it! Wonderful! Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteMarie Smith: Definitely a celebration. While not stepping away from his mental illness either.
DeleteI'm so glad you could go to this exhibition and posted your photos of it. It's coming to our province, too, but it's a four hour round trip and I just can't do it with my other obligations. So it was LOVELY to get your take on it. Thank you! Were the sunflowers real?? How did that display work?
ReplyDeletejenny_o: The sunflowers were artificial and not just projections (and of course you could buy some to take home). It was incredible to be surrounded by so much colour and those shapes - and I did wonder what the man himself would have made of it.
DeleteWOW! What a brilliant exhibition and I am so glad you were able to go and to be allowed to take photographs. I have been to the V\an Gogh museum in Amsterdam however no one was allowed to take any photographs. Fabulous paining and you photographed them very well. I hope it come to NI sometime.
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely week ahead Sue.
Margaret Birding For Pleasure: Himself has been to the Van Goph exhibition in Amsterdam too, and said that in some ways this was better... You have a great week too.
DeleteWow, that floor-and-ceiling Starry Night looks as though it might mess with a person's mind! What a wonderful exhibition, and a great way to display the art so everyone can enjoy the detail without having to crowd around a small painting. Very cool!
ReplyDeleteDiane Henders: The floor and ceiling Starry Night DID mess with my mind. And my balance. It really was an incredible exhibition and being immersed in his work was such a privilege. Many of the viewers simply found a spot (on one of the limited benches of on the floor) and simply sat and absorbed it.
DeleteWOW! All of it.
ReplyDeleteSandi: Definitely WOW. And other superlatives too.
DeleteA marvelous exhibit! I would love to see this in person. Always been a fan of Van Gogh. Beautifully photographed and thank you so much for sharing it with us :)
ReplyDeleteDeniseinVA: I hope you do get the chance to see this exhibition. It is travelling the world, and is simply incredible.
DeleteVan Gogh is my favorite artist EVER. This exhibit really made me smile. Some fun facts you may already know. Starry Night is one of two named that. Slightly different, they were both painted in the same vicinity, except THE starry night didn't have the fire.
ReplyDeleteMy mouse pad is Vincent's bedroom.
Crows over the cornfield was the last painting he ever made. The first time I saw it (and I bought a canvas painting of it), it affected me. I felt the violent strokes and the huge blobs of paint he used. It was almost surreal in how that painting moved me in ways I still can't completely explain.
I have many of his works on canvas that I have stretched and created frames for. What an amazing and incredible exhibit. You are SO lucky to have seen this. Thank you for taking us and for taking such incredible photos, too!
Bleubeard and Elizabeth: How nice to find another Van Gogh fan. I did know that there were two Starry Nights. And was blown away to learn that the constellations in Cafe Terrace at Night were so accurately depicted that scientists have been able to determine just which night he captured... I still mourn that he only sold one painting in his lifetime.
DeleteHow absolutely fabulous!!! Thank you.
ReplyDeletee: It was. Completely and utterly fabulous.
DeleteHow absolutely wonderful! What an amazing exhibition...how exhilarating it must be to be part of it!
ReplyDeleteAnd how absolutely wonderful it is to be back on line! From Thursday afternoon 24th March through to around 11am 1st April I had no communication service...no phone, no internet etc. Very frustrating, indeed!
I hope the week ahead treats you (and me) with gentle kindness, EC. Cuddles to Jazz...I hope he's doing well. :)
Lee: How intensely frustrating for you. We don't realise just how much we depend on phone/internet until it is taken away. I am glad that you are back on line again.
DeleteJazz had a bad patch, but is, I hope, coming good. I do hope that you and the furry overlords have a wonderful week.
And yes, the exhibition was fabulous.
EC....when you get a spare moment...and if you want to...would you please send me a brief email, about nothing will be fine. The reason I ask this is when the fellow built my new PC he lost a lot of my data (something that has been extremely annoying)...hence my request. Thanks, EC. :)
DeleteLee: Done. I hope it arrives. I don't think one I sent you a little while ago did.
DeleteThanks, EC...No...the previous one didn't arrive. I've just gone through all my deleted ones and it doesn't appear.
DeleteThanks again. :)
Lee: Sigh. I don't know where that was your system or my own.
DeleteI hope the memory of all that glory sticks in your mind for a long time.
ReplyDeleteHave a good week!
kylie: I hope so too. Are you still on flood relief? Look after yourself please.
DeleteI think the word A M A Z I N G describes this so well.
ReplyDeleteI did enjoy your post and thought your selection of photographs were fabulous.
Happy April Wishes.
All the best Jan
Lowcarb team member ~Jan: Thank you. Believe me I struggled to choose images to include. As is usual I took a LOT of photos. And have enjoyed going through them.
DeleteWow! It must have been surreal. I've never seen a gallery of portraits displayed in this fashion. The Art Museums are getting very creative. I'm glad that you treated yourself to this amazing display of Van Gogh. Thanks for sharing this.
ReplyDeleteJulia: Treated ourselves is the perfect term. It wasn't cheap, but it was an opportunity not to be missed.
DeleteI think I missed it and by your photos I missed something rather special. Damn, but thanks to you I have seen a version of the exhibition.
ReplyDeleteThis paying yourself to model sounds like a bit of a tax dodge to me.
Andrew: I am very sorry you missed it. Being immersed in the display left all the photos a long, long way behind. Tax? In his lifetime Van Gogh sold one painting. I doubt that he had enough income to tax even in the most punitive system.
DeleteThat is amazing, if i hear of it coming anywhere near me, i'm going to get there any way i can.
ReplyDeletemessymimi: I hope you can see it. I really hope you can.
DeleteGuess what! It's not the same show, but it's the same sort of idea, presented by a different company, and it'll be close enough to us in June to go, and i had enough money in the "fun money" set aside to get us 2 tickets!
DeleteOf course, my Sunday selections are over here.
messymimi: I am thrilled for you and hope that you enjoy it as much as we did. And, as usual, I thoroughly enjoyed your Sunday Selections.
DeleteThe images are great and the flowers a source of hope for Ukrainians and hope for better spring season. Do have a great weekend
ReplyDeleteSteve: Thank you. I really hope there is hope for Ukraine, but worry. You have a great weekend too.
DeleteDo subscribe me to your posts so I can see your new posts, am not very often blogging now.
DeleteSteve: Sorry, I can't do that. Or don't know how. If it helps, I almost always blog on Sundays.
DeleteOk thank you regards
DeleteYou are so lucky to have had such a marvellous exhibition of these works! Like some of the others who have commented above, I have also been to the Van Gogh exhibition in Amsterdam, and made a detour to Arles one time when I was in France, just to see where he lived and worked. I absolutely love his paintings.
ReplyDeleteI hope Jazz is feeling better, and that you are keeping well.
Alexia: Believe me, we know how lucky we were. It was a nasty night when we headed out, and we had quite a walk to the exhibition. None of which mattered an iota. Jazz is hopefully doing a bit better at the moment, and our fingers are firmly crossed for him. Thank you for you well wishes. They mean a lot.
DeleteThirty seven years, I think, but he made good use of them. A great artist.
ReplyDeleteJoanne Noragon: A truly great artist. How I wish he had lived a little longer (which may be selfishness) and that his work had been appreciated in his own time.
DeleteWonderful! So glad you took advantage of the opportunity.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Sandra Cox: So are we. Very, very glad. Hugs to you too.
DeleteIt's in St. Louis now. https://vangoghstlouis.com/ It's in a lot of other cities. https://beyondvangogh.com/
ReplyDeleteMike: I love that it is travelling the world.
DeleteThat must have been amazing! Thank you for sharing this wonderful event with us. I'd actually leave my hermit cave and brave the throngs to see it - quite extraordinary, coming out of my mouth. :)
ReplyDeleteHugs to you and scritches to His Major Pain in the Ass.
River Fairchild: As you know, I am not big on crowds either. And there are even other people (shock, horror) in some of my photos. It was definitely worth it though. And numbers were limited which helped. Tickets had to be booked for specific time slots.
DeleteCaptain Chain Yanker is at it again but is (hopefully) on an uphill trajectory again. And hugs to you too.
Wow! Those pictures of the Van Gogh Exhibition are stunning. Also loved your poem about The Cafe Terrace. So sad that genius is often unappreciated until after the death of the artist often in, as you point out, poverty and despair.
ReplyDeletemolly: Thank you very much. And how I wish that artists were recognised and applauded much, much earlier.
DeleteI'm so happy to know you visited this! My husband and I have talked about wanting to go for quite some time, but haven't yet. After reading this, I checked to see if it still is in our area, because I thought it must be over by now, but NO, there are still weeks and weeks left! Here's the link to ours: https://vangoghstlouis.com/
ReplyDeleteBECKY: I do hope that you will go - and let us know what you think about it.
DeleteWhat an amazing exhibition..love the sunflowers.
ReplyDeleteMargaret D: It was an incredible exhibition. One of the best I have been to.
DeleteLove this, beautiful sunday selections and love those colours ♥
ReplyDeleteaussie aNNie: It really was an amazing exhibition.
DeleteI've seen so many pictures of this exhibition/show-- It must have been quite an experience!
ReplyDeleteBill: It was. I am so glad that we got off our lazy fundaments, booked tickets and went.
DeleteI have seen this exhibition a few years ago in Brussels. It was amazing ! van Gogh lived for a while in Belgium as a pastor near Mons and I visited his home there too. There he made the first pictures of the poor people. He always was my favorite painter. In Arles where he lived together with Gaughin, the house was demolished and an ugly apartment building was built there. A real shame !
ReplyDeleteGattina: It was an incredible exhibition wasn't it? I envy you being able to visit places he lived and worked. And yes, replacing his home with an ugly apartment block is a very big shame.
DeleteWhat a fabulous way to display incredible art works. And the Cafe facsimile too. I would have had to sit for coffee there. Is this a free exhibition?
ReplyDeleteRiver: It really was a delight. It wasn't free but I didn't begrudge the money. At all. And if nausea hadn't been big we would have had a drink at the Cafe.
DeleteDear EC
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing and immersive experience. I was late to the Van Gogh appreciation party, but have made up for that since. have you seen the animated film about him - 'Loving Vincent' - where every scene is painted in his style and the whole thing is wonderful. It also supplies an answer to a nagging question about him too - did he commit suicide?
Highly recommended viewing, if you haven't already seen it.
Thank you so much for sharing this - wonderful!
Best wishes
Ellie
Ellie Foster: I haven't seen that film and will have to track it down. He is one of the artists I have always admired, and that admiration hasn't diminished. At all.
DeleteSounds fabulous, Sue. If it comes here, we will be sure to take it in.
ReplyDeleteDavid M. Gascoigne: I hope it does reach you. I really do.
DeleteThat's unbelievable. I"d love to see it. There was a version of it in Portland I think, but expensive admission. The Starry Starry Night walk through with those ascending lights had to be glorious. But even more glorious--the sunflowers. I will be planting them here again soon. I adore sunflowers.
ReplyDeleteStrayer: It wasn't cheap, but I am very, very glad that we could go. The Starry Night walk was an incredible introduction. I love sunflowers too, and will post some more of them soon.
DeleteI know some other people who went to the exhibition and thought it was excellent. Seeing a number of Van Gogh's paintings in a special exhibit in Washington, D.C., has proven an unforgettable event for me. I also saw a photo of the balloons you featured last week on CNN.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
Janie Junebug: It was an amazing exhibition. I am so glad that it a) came to my city and b) that we went to see it. I am amazed that our balloon festival made it to CNN. I hope that they rejoiced in it too.
DeleteThose pictures are stunning. Going there must have been so much fun.
ReplyDeleteMary Kirkland: Thank you. It was.
DeleteGlad you enjoyed this exhibition,Sue.
ReplyDeleteWhen I think of van Gogh's fate, one word always comes to my mind for the prices his paintings fetch at auctions: obscene.
Sean Jeating: I am in complete agreement with you - as I hope the poem I linked to expresses. Van Gogh sold ONE painting before he died, for the princely sum of 400 francs. One painting, from the more than 900 he created.
DeleteThank you so much for the exhibition, and I was actually very glad to see people in it, so I could judge the size of those pictures! It will come to Seattle, but I don't get there all that often, but I might have to go, now that I see what it is!! Thank you again,
ReplyDeleteDJan: I hope that you can go - and that you like it as much as I/we did.
DeleteSuch beautiful photographs. I've always had a soft spot in my heart for dear old Vincent, a fellow tortured traveler.
ReplyDeleteFor the first time since last year I've finally posted another photograph!
Smiling Stingray
Ornery Owl of Naughty Netherworld Press and Readers Roost (Not Charlotte): I also have a huge soft spot for him, and love (and am awed by) his work. Off to check out your smiling stingray now.
DeleteHi EC - gosh I'm late ... it must have been amazing ... I'll enjoy going through your pics properly in a few days - lots to do ... but I loved the film 'Loving Vincent' that I saw in Canada ... even bought the DVD of it and posted about it. It's an animated biographical film ... incredibly interesting I thought!! Cheers - I'll be back ... Hilary
ReplyDeleteHi EC - I've flicked through ... amazing set of images you've given us ... the apples I don't think I've seen before. Like you I used one of his paintings for a Halloween post, as too the WEP Cafe Terrace one ...
DeleteThanks for such a great post - wonderful to see and feel I could almost share with you ... cheers Hilary
Hilary Melton-Butcher: There were paintings in the exhibition I didn't know too - particularly the ones with the Japanese influence. And there was a glorious painting of almond blossom painted after the birth of his nephew - given the name of Vincent. This exhibition will stay with me.
DeleteThis looks fabulous. Thanks for showing it to us.
ReplyDeleteCharlotte (MotherOwl): It was fabulous. Completely so.
DeleteSuch a beautiful event! You must have been mesmerized!
ReplyDeletegigi-hawaii: We were. And so grateful to have seen it.
DeleteThat's one heck of a ceiling!
ReplyDeleteJohn Wiswell: It was. And I damn near overbalanced trying to photograph it.
DeleteVincent - a tortured man. Great painter though.
ReplyDelete:o)
Cheers
PM
Plastic Mancunian: Yes. On both counts.
DeleteThat's an exhibit I'd love to experience. Thank you for sharing. It's been so long. Glad to see you are still blogging.
ReplyDeleteCheers
Mooney
moondustwriter: It is lovely to see you back again. And busy. I hope your health improves.
DeleteWhat a magical exhibit. I'd love to just exist there for hours.
ReplyDeleteLove and positivity to you, EC.
Rawknrobyn: How I wish we could have stayed longer - though my mind and my eyes were full by the time we left. Hugs and positivity is a wonderful wish. Thank you - and back to you.
DeleteBeautiful! The exhibit looks amazing. :D
ReplyDelete-Quinley
Quinley: It was. One of the best I have seen.
DeleteWe went to the same exhibit a couple of months ago in New York. After seeing pictures of various peoples experiences I see that no one exhibition is the same and I believe we got the short straw.. because that look absolutely stunning and our was a bit meh.
ReplyDeleteHena Tayeb: I am really sorry to hear that. Meh was definitely not our experience and I think it is a scandal that anyone did put together a less than stellar exhibition of his work.
DeleteOh my goodness! Fabulous photos! I wish I had seen such photos sooner. Had I known the event would be this good, I would have gone when it was in my area. At least I got a taste of it through your snaps.
ReplyDeleteThe Liberty Belle: Thank you. Hena Tayeb (the comment above yours) said that the exhibition varied from place to place. We got lucky, because ours was truly amazing.
DeleteThis looks amazing! I would love to sit among the sunflowers and see all the exhibits. Just fabulous! I wish I had been able to see it when it was in NY. But- glad I was able to see it through your experience. Thanks for sharing. :)
ReplyDelete~Jess
DMS ~Jess: It was amazing but Hena Tayeb tells me that you may have been lucky in missing the one in NY. Which is a huge shame.
DeleteWhat a fantastic exhibit. Thanks for sharing it with us. And, I love your poem about the artist. You are quite a poet and I didn't know it. Maybe this exhibit might come to Atlanta one day and since I am in the area more now, I would certainly like to see it.
ReplyDeleteGlenda Beall: Thank you. I hope this exhibit does come to Atlanta and that you can see it. I found it incredible - though I was surprised to learn that the exhibit is different in different places.
DeleteThese are very beautiful photos of interesting art. Most of all I love the sunflowers.
ReplyDeleteHave a nice week.
orvokki: I loved them all, but was particularly taken with Starry, starry night and Cafe Terrace. You have a lovely week too.
DeleteWhat a breathtaking experience.
ReplyDeleteHope your day is filled with wonder.
Sandra Cox: Definitely breathtaking. And packed with wonder. You have a great day too.
DeleteWow! Look at all the people like me who enjoy having fun with you!
ReplyDeleteCloudia: I am soooo grateful for the people I have met, the friends I have made, here in the blogosphere.
DeleteOh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!how magnificent!
ReplyDeleteIn 1958 (I think) I saw a van Gogh exhibition at the Hayward, London. It was said, then, to be the last time people would see so many of his works in one place. They cited ruinously high insurance costs, plus the danger of losing or damaging any canvasses en route. I believe there were some made available from private collections.
So I count myself very fortunate that I have seen Vincent's work in several galleries, in several countries.And, yes, if this show comes close enough I'll be a starter!
Thank you.
oops...it would have been 1968 in London
Deletedinahmow: What's ten years between friends? I have seen individual paintings by this gifted man over the years, but never so many. It really was a BRILLIANT exhibition and I do hope it comes close to you.
DeleteStunning!!!
ReplyDeleteI loved seeing Cafe Terrace after all of our WEP stories!
Jemi Fraser: I did too. Of course.
DeleteYour poetry said it all.
ReplyDeleteBesides seeing his work, I'd love to spend time in that cafe and take in all the glories:)
Hugs
Sandra Cox: We passed on the Cafe - rotten nausea at play again. The glories was the perfect description though.
DeleteThe exhibit looks amazing, EC! I would love to see it. Unfortunately, I can't drive very far and only to familiar places right now. Darn eyes! I've been fortunate to see some of Van Gogh's actual paintings. He is one of my favorite artists. Have a great day!
ReplyDeleteFundy Blue: It was amazing. I am so sorry that your eyes are limiting your travel at the moment - and agree, Van Gogh is one of my favourite artists too.
DeleteThat was really amazing and you got some awesome photos, I hope this week is going well for you,
ReplyDeleteRasmaSandra: Thank you. It was a brilliant exhibition and I am so glad we went. Have a great week.
DeleteWow. That must have been a fascinating exhibit in person. The photos you took are amazing.
ReplyDeleteJoylene Nowell Butler: I said rather a lot of Wows too - and have many, many more photos from the exhibition.
DeleteAbsolutely amazing, I'm still hoping to see this myself, live and in person. My daughter and her family went as soon as it arrived in their city and her description of their experience was priceless. Your opening photo is excellent as well as your other photos. What an event to behold. Take care. I'm still trying to figure out this week's Words on Wednesday, I think it's wordless?
ReplyDelete21 Wits: I so hope you can see it. It really was a fabulous expedition.
DeleteMessymimi posted the prompts on her Tuesday, to cater for those of us on this side of the world. Let me know if you cannot find them, and I will send them to you.
Thank you for sharing this exhibition, Child. It's lifted my spirits a little. Made me think that, no matter what, we must try and try to show the beauty that we are capable of.
ReplyDeleteThe last lines of your poem capture the very essence of how I feel about Van Gogh, his work, and the work of other creative people, ignored, around the world.
Thank you. xx
neena maiya (guyana gyal): We all need beauty don't we? And fortunately there is a lot of it about, despite the often ugly behaviour of some of our species.
DeleteAnd yes, I do mourn for unappreciated artists. They suffer, and we also lose...
'He could afford to pay the model.' Heh.
ReplyDeleteSandra Cox: Sad isn't it? And I suspect true. Other artists simply used their mistresses as models and probably paid them the same rate as Vincent paid himself.
DeleteYes, he could afford the model. Was he one who knew fame and fortune during his time, or did that all happen after he passed? I've seen some of his work in person. I'd love to see this interactive version.
ReplyDeletemail4rosey: No fame. No fortune. He sold ONE painting in his lifetime, and died in poverty and despair. Which is so very, very wrong.
DeleteWow! What a stunning display!
ReplyDeleteHis painting of irises jumped out at me since I've been photographing them a lot lately.
If that show comes around here, we'll be going!
Gini and I hope your weekend is a good 'un!
Wally Jones: I do hope this exhibition does come close to you. It was completely and utterly marvellous - and I loved his iris too.
DeleteI love the way they set this up. The irises and the stars upon the water pics, breathtaking.
ReplyDeleteHope your weekend is filled with wonder.
Hugs
Sandra Cox: Thank you for coming back and commenting time and time again. It really was a wonderful exhibition and looking at my photos triggers memories which make me very happy. You have a wonderful weekend too.
DeleteAmazing and beautiful. I have been to one of these exibitions before, and it is like being with the artist. Mine was Micheangelo. I saw an actual receipt for paints, signed by him. Enclosed in glass of course. Awesome! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteJ C: I would sign up for a similar Michelangelo exhibition in a heart beat. Awe and wonder.
DeleteI wonder whether this is the same exhibit as the Immersive Van Gogh that is currently in San Francisco? Tickets are limited and hard to come by. I would love to go. Your pictures are great, but I do think this is a different exhibit.
ReplyDeleteCarola Bartz: I was surprised to learn (from another blogger) that the exhibitions vary. We were lucky with ours - it was an amazing experience.
DeleteGolly but I would love to see the exhibit! If only Van Gogh to know after his death, millions came warm themselves at his fire.
ReplyDeleteSnowbrush: It really was a spectacular display. I wonder whether it would have made Van Gogh feel better or worse that his genius was finally recognised - so long after his death.
DeleteMaybe he would have felt compassion for the inability of his primitive species to have done better by him and many others. I heard recently that a man to whom Van Gogh made a gift of a painting used that painting to patch a chicken shed.
DeleteSnowbrush: A chicken shed? Sigh. Big, big sigh. How I wish that he had sold more than one painting in his life time. Perhaps he would have lived longer - and there would be more of his work to see and marvel at.
DeleteChild, here's a link to the story of the painting, which did survive and is now valued at $50-million: https://joyofmuseums.com/museums/russian-federation/moscow-museums/pushkin-museum/portrait-of-doctor-felix-rey/
DeleteSnowbrush: Thanks for that link. I am glad it surprised - and that he met with a doctor who was sympathetic to him - even if he didn't like his art.
Delete