Maurizio Cattelan’s infamous duct-taped banana sparked a debate, to say the least, when it first debuted in 2019. It caused further shock after the piece, titled Comedian, sold for over $6 million at a Sotheby’s auction in New York earlier this month. As such, many can't help but wonder—what would the great masters think about this type of work? Would they relate to it? Artist Alireza Karimi Moghaddam, who has long devoted his skills to reimagining Vincent van Gogh's life in colorful illustrations, chimed in and shared how he thinks the Dutch painter would react to this.
In Moghaddam's illustration, Van Gogh stands behind a stall, selling some of his most famous paintings. There's everything from Starry Night and his self-portrait to Sunflowers and Irises. But there’s one glaring difference—they all have a banana taped to the center of the canvas. A desperate Van Gogh raises his arms, as if begging passersby to check out these updated creations.
Moghaddam accompanied the drawing with a fictional letter to Theo penned by him, in the style of the correspondence the Dutch painter sent to his brother, to update him about his latest creations. It reads: “Dear Theo, As I write this letter to you, I am filled with joy. The good news is that I have managed to sell a significant number of my paintings to a collector.” Long aware of the difficulties Van Gogh went through in life, it's almost as if he gets a happy ending, or at least a moment of solace.
However, there is a catch, “Though I must admit, I may have strayed a bit from my ideals and beliefs about art,” continues the letter. “But what can one do? The restaurant near my house doesn’t care about my beliefs; it only wants money to provide me with food! By the way, today I learned a new word that you might find interesting: ‘Banality' Yours truly, Vincent”
This isn't the first time Moghaddam's Van Gogh has reflected on how the artist would feel in the contemporary art landscape, often depicting him feeling like an outsider or trying to find his place in a fast-paced, tech-focused world. For example, he has imagined Van Gogh coming across people wearing merch with his paintings (which he can't afford) or posing with a mural of his Sunflowers but not realizing the man they've asked to snap the picture is the artist himself.
To stay up to date with his modern take on Van Gogh, you can follow Alireza Karimi Moghaddam on Instagram.
Artist Alireza Karimi Moghaddam has long reimagined Vincent van Gogh's life in colorful illustrations.
Through his work, he has also commented on how the Dutch painter would react to the contemporary reception of his art.
He often depicts him feeling like an outsider or trying to find his place in a fast paced, tech-focused world.
Aware of the difficulties the real Van Gogh went through in life, his illustrations often give him a happy ending, or at least a moment of solace.
Alireza Karimi Moghaddam: Instagram
My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Alireza Karimi Moghaddam.
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