VINCENT VAN GOGH a NEW WAY of SEEING by PHIL GRABSKY, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER There Are Few Artists with As Fascinating a Life Story As Vincent Van Gogh

PROGRAMME NOTES VINCENT VAN GOGH A NEW WAY OF SEEING BY PHIL GRABSKY, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER There are few artists with as fascinating a life story as Vincent van Gogh. He didn’t start painting until he was 27 and then within ten years he was dead – shot by his own hand in a wheat field that he had been painting that very day. This intense Dutchman – failed preacher, failed teacher – has become one of the greatest and most popular artists of all time – and one of the most influential. Having been little sold in his lifetime, much of his output ended up in the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam, today one of the world’s most visited galleries.

When we heard that the museum – partly to commemorate the 125th anniversary of Van Gogh’s death – was intending to re-hang their entire collection our interest was aroused and director David Bickerstaff and I flew out to discover more. Whereas in the past the museum had kept Van Gogh on three floors and other artists on another, it had now decided that it wanted to present a more accurate reflection of Van Gogh’s biography by interweaving his work with that of his contemporaries. As I said, Van Gogh is a popular artist and the museum had 800 (!) proposals for projects it was wading through but we managed to persuade them and for the next year or so we worked very closely with the entire institution – not least its wonderful staff and curators – to make this film.

They offered us complete and unprecedented access to their treasures Amsterdam (Vincent van Foundation). s16V/1962 Gogh F344 Vincent van Self-Portrait Gogh with Grey Felt Hat, 1887 Paris. Van Museum, Gogh and I have to say it was an absolute joy. David then travelled in the Netherlands, Belgium, UK and France – retracing Vincent’s footsteps. I think one of David’s smartest suggestions was, on this occasion, to use an actor to play Van Gogh. How he found Jamie de Courcey is still something of a mystery to me because without a beard he doesn’t immediately resemble Vincent…but judge for yourself how he looks in the film. We are normally cautious about using actors and reconstructions in our films but I must say I think the use of Jamie really adds to the emotional punch and insight.

I think the key message of the film is that we need to be wary of the easy, maybe I should say lazy, myths and legends that have sprung up around Vincent van Gogh. Maybe it’s more exciting to view him as some kind of crazy painter who, almost despite himself, threw paint on to a canvas and created by accident what are today priceless works of art. Time and time again, I come across this nonsense when looking at the biographies of great creative minds. The reality is often 180 degrees from those errant perceptions. Vincent van Gogh – like Mozart, like Cézanne, like Michelangelo – had a passion for art that fuelled a determination and commitment to be the best they could Directed by David Bickerstaff be. No-one worked harder learning about those who had gone before Produced by Phil Grabsky and those who were his contemporaries. He dedicated himself, fully, to being the best artist he could possibly be. Intense, yes. Mental issues, Please tell your friends if you yes. Demanding, yes. But there is nothing accidental or genetic about enjoy the film. Visit us daily at our this work. That’s what makes biographical films so interesting – the Facebook site for artworld stories.. more we can learn about the real person and their real world, the more we can understand and appreciate their art. Enjoy the film. For your chance to win a special EXHIBITION ON SCREEN prize answer the question below: Van Gogh painted The Bedroom, 1888 and Sunflowers, 1889 for whose arrival at the ‘Yellow House’? a) Dr. Gachet b) Anthon van Rappard c) Paul Gauguin Please send your answers to [email protected], deadline end of June 2018! WIN!Please note: we will use your email adress to contact you with information about future projects and other Seventh Art news. We will not pass your information to any third parties. FACTS AND TRIVIA

• Vincent van Gogh was born in 1853 in the rural Dutch village of Zundert, near the border with Belgium.

• The Van Gogh Museum opened in Amsterdam in 1973. They own over 200 paintings, Van Gogh’s drawings and letters, and numerous works by his contemporaries.

• Van Gogh wrote over 800 letters in his lifetime. The majority of them were written to his brother and closest friend Theo, who supported him financially.

• Although today his works are among the most recognised and valued of any painter, during his lifetime Vincent van Gogh sold no more than PLACESa handful TOof paintings SEE MONET’S and just aWORK few drawings. IN PARIS, FRANCE: • Vincent died on the 29th July, 1890.

KEY WORKS DISCUSSED:

THE POTATO EATERS, 1885 Nuenen

SELF-PORTRAIT WITH GREY FELT HAT, 1887 Paris

THE YELLOW HOUSE #EOSVanGogh (‘The Street’), 1888 Arles FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM

facebook.com/exhibitiononscreen SUNFLOWERS, @artonscreen 1889 Arles instagram/exhibitiononscreen

EXHIBITION ON SCREEN is produced and distributed by award-winning documentary film-makers Seventh Art Productions

Miss any of our previous seasons? Many of our EXHIBITION ON SCREEN films can be found to buy on DVD and download on www.seventh-art.com. Use the discount ‘VANGOGH’ at the checkout to recieve an exclusive 20% off your purchase.